^0'^-%'^ 


USTRATeo 


^.dl.'oi^ 


«»jS  PRINCETON,  N.  J.  '^ 


Purchased  by  the   Hamill   Missionary  Fund, 


BV  3269  .D68  D68  1904 
Downie,  Annie  Hershey,  1852 
The  young  missionary 


The  Young  Missionary 


^m9  missionary 

The  Story  of  tlie 

Cife  of  nmk  Kennard  Downie 

Bv  HER  MOTHER 


PHILADELPHIA 

Bmcrican  JiSaptist  publication  Society 

1904 


Copyright  1904  by  the 
American  Baptist  Publication  Society 


Published  February,  1904 


jfrom  tbc  Soctct>9*s  own  ipresg 


PREFACE 

IF  any  one  thinks  that  the  romance  of  missions 
has  departed,  let  him  read  the  life  of  Irene  V. 
Petrie,  of  Cashmere,  a  young  honorary  missionary 
of  the  Church  Missionary  Society  of  England. 
The  story  of  this  gifted  young  lady's  life  and  la- 
bors in  Cashmere  is  one  of  the  most  deeply  inter- 
esting and  thrilling  biographies  we  have  ever  read. 
Well-born,  with  a  host  of  friends  among  the  best 
people  in  England,  artistic,  musical,  and  cultured, 
she  gave  up  all  the  pleasures  of  a  refined  life  in 
London,  and  went  to  the  mission  field  out  of  pure 
love  to  God  and  because  her  heart  yearned  over 
her  dark-skinned  sisters  in  India. 

In  reading  the  story  of  this  beautiful  life,  we 
have  constantly  been  reminded  of  another  girl,  the 
story  of  whose  life  seems  to  us  eminently  worthy 
of  being  recorded,  not  simply  as  an  illustration  of 
a  consecrated  missionary  life,  but  as  an  inspiration 
and  incentive  to  other  young  women  to  devote 
themselves  to  the  same  blessed  work. 

In  the  preface  of  Miss  Petrie' s  biography  there 
is  a  striking  illustration  of  how  a  young  life  may 
be  blasted  for  want  of  a  proper  motive  at  the  out- 
set.    A  young  Russian  girl,  well-born,  attractive, 

V 


pretace 


gifted,  ambitious  and  successful  as  a  musician  and 
artist  wrote  her  autobiography.  In  the  beginning 
she  frankly  confessed  that  in  setting  out  in  life  her 
most  earnest  prayer  was  :  **  0  God,  grant  me  hap- 
piness, make  my  life  what  I  should  like  it  to  be." 
But  she  died  early  and  left  this  testimony  behind 
her  :  *•  I  am  so  unhappy,  all  is  wretchedness  and 
misery;  I  don't  know  whether  there  is  a  God  or 
not."  If,  as  Irene  Petrie  and  Annie  Downie  did, 
she  had  given  her  life  at  the  beginning  to  God's 
keeping  and  sought  the  happiness  of  others,  rather 
than  her  own,  her  life  would  have  been  holier  and 
happier,  and  others  would  not  have  had  to  turn 
from  the  record  with  such  pity  and  sorrow. 

A.  H.  D. 


VI 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

1.  Child  Life  in  India n 

11.  Child  Life  in  America 20 

HI.  A  Re-united  Family    28 

IV.  THE  Return  to  India 34 

V.  WORK  and  Play 44 

VI.  A  Call  to  Mission  work .52 

Vll.  THE  return  to  America 62 

VIII.  A  term  of  Bible  Study 70 

IX.  AN  UNEXPECTED  MEETING 78 

X.  A  Second  term  of  Service 86 

XI.  A  TRANSLATION 94 

XII.  A  RETROSPECT 100 

vii 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

Annie  Kcunard  Donmie {Frontispiece) 

Mission  House,  Nellore 12 

''East  and  West'' 19 

Temple  Gateway  near  Nellore 56 

Nellore  Boys'"  Boarding  Seliool 52 

A  Christmas  Feast  at  Nellore yo 

Student  Volunteer  Band  at  Newton yd 

The  Downie  Family  in  igoi y8 

Nellore  Girls'  Boarding  School go 

Hindu  Girls 92 

Educated  Christians    .    - 97 

Her  Resting-place     10^ 

ix 


The  Young  Missionary 


CHAPTER  I 

CHII.D    LIFE    IN    INDIA 

Sometime  when  all  life's  lessons  have  been  learned, 

And  sun  and  stars  for  evermore  have  set. 
The  things  which  our  weak  judgment  here  has  spurn'd, 

The  things  o'er  which  we  grieved  with  lashes  wet, 
Will  flash  before  us  out  of  life's  dark  night, 

As  stars  shine  most  in  deeper  tints  of  blue ; 
And  we  shall  see  how  all  God's  plans  were  right. 

And  how  what  seemed  reproof  was  love  most  true. 

'N  the  southeastern  part  of  India,  thirty- 
five  miles  north  of  the  large  city  of 
Madras,  begins  the  Telugu  country. 
Nellore,  the  chief  town  of  the  district 
of  that  name,  is  situated  on  the  Penaar  River,  one 
hundred  and  eight  miles  north  of  Madras  and  six- 
teen miles  inland  from  the  Bay  of  Bengal.  It  is  a 
town  of  thirty  thousand  inhabitants,  and  is  well 
known  to  the  Baptists  of  the  United  States  of 
America,  as  the  original  station  of  the  famous  Te- 
lugu mission,  which  was  called  "The  Lone  Star."  ^ 

1  See  "The  Lone  Star.  The  History  of  the  Telugu  Mission  of  the 
American  Baptist  Missionary  Union,"  by  David  Dovvnie,  D.  D.,  Missionary 
at  Nellore.     American  Baptist  Publication  Society. 

II 


Zhc  ^oxxm  nntsstonarp 


The  mission  compound  is  situated  half  a  mile 
from  the  river  and  near  the  great  Northern  Trunk 
Road.  The  mission  bungalow  was  built  in  1840, 
by  Rev.  Samuel  S.  Day,  the  founder  of  the  mis- 
sion, and  here  Annie  Kennard  Downie  was  born, 
April  30,  1875. 

The  Telugus  are  very  fond  of  children  and  the 
rejoicing  was   sincere   when  the   little   one   came. 


THE    MISSION    HOUSE,    NELLORE 

Some  would  have  preferred  a  boy,  for  boys  are 
considered  "  a  heritage  from  the  Lord,"  but  there 
had  been  no  children  for  so  long  in  the  big  house, 
they  were  glad  to  welcome  even  a  girl.  Old 
Lydia,  one  of  the  Bible  women,  came  to  the 
bungalow  and  said  in  her  impressive  way :  "We 
were  thankful  when  a  mother  came  to  us,  but  we 
are  still  more  thankful  now  that  we  have  a  sister 
too,  for  lonely  is  the  house  without  a  child." 

Annie  was  dedicated  to  the  Lord  from  her  birth 
and  was  carefully  taught  his  word,  so  it  was  not 

12 


CbilD  Xite  in  ITnMa 


at  all  strange  to  us  that  she  should  early  give  her- 
self to  him  and  that  her  life  should  be  consecrated 
to  his  service. 

She  had  her  share  of  infantile  troubles.  When 
only  eight  months  old  she  had  an  attack  of  fever, 
ushered  in  by  strong  convulsions.  After  several 
weeks  of  suffering,  when  hope  seemed  in  vain,  we 
surrendered  her  absolutely  to  God  and  were  able 
to  say:  **  Thy  will,  not  ours,  be  done."  Imme- 
diately the  disease  was  stayed  and  we  always  felt 
sure  that  God  had  restored  her  to  health  because 
he  had  some  work  for  her  to  do.  When  able  to 
be  carried  around  the  house  she  seemed  full  of 
gladness  at  being  alive  and  she  would  beam  on 
us  and  laugh,  until  all  in  the  house  were  infected 
by  her  mirth.  All  through  her  life  she  kept  that 
laughing  countenance. 

The  life  of  an  English  or  American  child  in 
India  is  very  different  from  what  it  would  be  in 
its  own  country.  There  cannot  be  the  same  free- 
dom in  play  out  of  doors,  for  the  sun  is  a  deadly 
enemy,  and  the  children  must  stay  a  good  deal 
in  semi-darkened  rooms,  going  out  only  in  the  early 
morning  or  after  four  in  the  afternoon.  Then,  in- 
doors, are  centipedes  and  scorpions  with  occasional 
snakes,  some  of  them  very  deadly;  so  the  children 
cannot  be  left  alone  day  or  night,  and  when  not 
with  their  parents  must  have  an  attendant  near. 

We  were  fortunate  in  securing  a  good  Christian 
13 


XTbe  lacuna  fmtsstonat^ 


woman  as  ayah^  or  nurse.  She  had  had  nine  chil- 
dren of  her  own  and  gave  a  mother's  care  to  those 
entrusted  to  her.  As  Annie  grew  older  Janet  kept 
her  from  coming  in  contact  with  the  evil  that  is  all 
around  in  a  tropical  country,  and  taught  her  many 
a  Bible  story.  The  child  loved  her  ayah  dearly  and 
when  she  was  with  her  we  felt  no  anxiety. 

When  Annie  was  twenty-three  months  old  a 
little  sister  came  to  share  our  affections.  We  were 
anxious  that  there  should  be  no  jealousy  on  the 
part  of  the  elder  sister,  so  her  father  said  :  **  There 
is  a  little  baby  in  here;  it  is  Annie's  baby.  Come 
see  it !  "  The  tot  understood  her  father  to  say 
"birdie"  and  was  immediately  interested.  She 
ran  to  the  basket  where  the  infant  of  a  few  hours 
lay  and  pulled  herself  up  so  that  she  could  peer 
over  the  edge,  calling  out:  "Tahtu,  tahtu,  Annie 
got  tahtu?"  This  was  her  name  for  bird,  and 
for  years  after  the  pet  name  of  the  second  daughter 
was  "Tahtu." 

Before  the  sister  was  a  month  old  Annie  went 
with  her  father  to  the  Hills,  as  his  health  had  given 
out.  There  an  attack  of  sickness  again  brought 
her  to  death's  door.  She  was  so  reduced  by  this 
illness  that  she  had  to  learn  again  how  to  walk. 

She  early  developed  a  love  of  nature  and  was 
always  finding  and  cherishing  queer  creatures. 
When  three  years  old,  we  were  spending  a  few 
weeks  on  Udayagiri  Droog,  a  hill  three  thousand 

M 


c:bil^  Xite  in  UnMa 


feet  high,  sixty  miles  west  of  Nellore.  Here  she 
ran  about  among  the  rocks  most  of  the  day  and 
her  pockets  were  usually  full  of  slugs  and  bettles. 
Sometimes  she  would  lay  in  our  hand  a  queer 
beetle  with  a  horny  back  that  would  roll  into  a  ball 
when  touched.  She  never  hurt  anything  that  had 
life  and  loved  to  have  pets  near  her. 

The  schoolboys  in  Nellore  appreciated  this  love 
for  pets  and  were  constantly  bringing  her  baby 
squirrels,  young  parrots,  and  mina  birds.  Among 
the  pets  that  she  had  at  various  times  were  guinea 
pigs,  white  rabbits,  and  antelopes.  But  it  is  hard 
to  keep  pets  in  India  and  many  a  tear  was  shed 
when  some  loved  animal  fell  a  prey  to  some  treach- 
erous rat  or  cat,  to  a  pariah  dog,  or  to  disease. 

The  Rajah  of  Venkatagiri  came  into  town  once 
with  his  eight  elephants.  They  paraded  the  streets 
and  one  came  into  our  compound.  Annie  was  de- 
lighted with  the  way  the  huge  creature  salaamed 
with  its  trunk,  knelt  down  and  rose  at  the  word  of 
command,  and  begged  for  fruit,  and  her  heart 
was  at  once  set  on  possessing  one  for  a  pet.  Not 
long  after,  when  starting  for  Madras,  we  asked 
her  what  we  should  bring  her.  Without  a  mo- 
ment's hesitation  she  said:  "  A  baby  elephant." 
On  our  return  we  gave  her  a  toy  elephant  which 
was  received  with  a  burst  of  tears.  When  asked 
what  was  the  matter,  she  sobbed  out,  *'  I  wanted 
a  live  baby  elephant." 

B  15 


XTbe  13ouna  nnisstonar^ 


She  loved  all  out-doors  and  learned  the  names 
of  the  trees  and  flowers.  She  spent  many  happy- 
hours  in  the  garden  chattering  to  the  gardener, 
coming  in  with  her  hands  full  of  the  sweet  cork 
tree  or  orange  blossoms  which  she  would  string 
into  garlands  for  her  hair  and  neck.  This  love  of 
nature  followed  her  through  life.  **  I  always  con- 
nect trailing  arbutus  with  Annie,"  writes  her  aunt, 
"  because  when  we  came  across  it  one  day  at  Bel- 
mar,  she  threw  herself  down  on  the  earth  in  a  lov- 
ing embrace,  exclaiming,  *  Oh,  the  Mayflower,  the 
Mayflower!'  '*  Her  uncle  also  tells  of  a  time 
when  walking  with  him  in  Brooklyn  Park  she 
seemed  to  know  every  tree  and  once  threw  her 
arms  right  around  one  which  appeared  to  be  a 
special  favorite. 

Her  nature  was  very  sensitive.  Even  as  a  child 
she  dreaded  a  rebuke  and  a  sharp  word  would 
bring  tears  to  her  eyes  in  a  moment.  As  she  tried 
to  do  what  was  right  she  seldom  had  to  be  rebuked 
and  still  more  seldom  punished.  Occasionally  it 
was  necessary  to  chide  her  for  some  childish  burst 
of  temper  or  for  failing  to  share  her  playthings, 
but  all  that  was  needed  was  a  quiet  suggestion  to 
go  find  some  other  mother,  that  her  mother  did  not 
like  little  girls  who  acted  in  that  way.  She  would  at 
once  cry  and  say,  **  Please  be  my  mother,  I  don't 
want  any  other  mother,  I'll  be  good."  At  times 
when  she  felt  we  were  displeased  with  her,  she 

i6 


(Tbilb  %iU  in  IfnMa 


would  kneel  behind  a  door  and  ask  God  to  forgive 
her,  then  coming  to  us  would  say,  "  God  has  for- 
given me,  now  won't  you  forgive  me  too?"  She 
thus  early  learned  to  take  her  troubles  to  the  Lord. 

She  was  fond  of  books  at  an  early  age  and 
though  she  did  not  begin  lessons  before  she  went 
to  America,  yet  she  learned  her  letters  from  the 
^ya/i  and  her  blocks  and  could  read  easy  books 
before  she  was  seven.  She  loved  to  be  read  to, 
her  favorites  being  •*  Peep  of  Day,"  **  Line  upon 
Line,"  and  "  Little  Pillows."  When  we  were  too 
busy  to  read  to  her,  which  was  often  the  case,  she 
would  ask  the  aya/i  or  Julia  to  read  to  her.  The 
"children's  hour"  was  at  noon  when  the  house 
was  still  and  they  were  ready  for  the  daily  nap. 
Many  a  beautiful  Bible  tale  or  child's  book  from 
America  was  read  to  the  eager  little  listeners  be- 
fore they  could  be  quieted  down  and  the  eyelids 
close  over  the  bright  eyes. 

Annie  was  a  help  in  mission  work.  When  we 
went  out  into  camp  taking  the  two  little  girls,  the 
heathen  women  would  come  to  the  tent  to  see  the 
**  white  babies  "  and  we  have  heard  Annie  talking 
to  them  telling  why  her  parents  had  come  to  India 
and  about  the  Jesus  they  preached.  Once,  after  a 
wearisome  day,  when  we  were  sitting  quietly  inside 
the  tent,  Annie  came,  saying:  "Some  women 
have  come,  mamma,  come  and  talk  to  them." 
"  Mamma  is  very  tired,   dear,   she    cannot    come 

17 


trbe  13ovinc}  nntssionar^ 


now/'  was  the  answer.  **  Yes,  but  mamma  they 
have  come,  and  some  one  must  talk  to  them," 
persisted  the  child.  **Well,  you  go,  dear,  you 
and  ayah  may  talk  to  them,"  the  tired  mother 
replied.  So  back  she  went  and  the  women  heard 
and  went  away  wondering  at  the  fair-haired  girl 
who  could  speak  such  good  Telugu. 

On  the  bungalow  veranda,  one  evening,  we  heard 
an  earnest  voice  and  found  that  it  was  Annie  talk- 
ing to  the  punkah  man,  for  she  came  saying  glee- 
fully, "Why,  mamma,  Lukshmiah  knows  about 
Jesus,  he  must  be  good!  "  She  used  to  talk 
to  the  tailor  too,  about  God  and  heaven.  To  a 
remark  of  his  about  not  being  able  to  see  God, 
she  said:  "  Do  you  see  those  trees  moving,  Man- 
akum  ?  It  is  the  wind  moves  them,  but  you  can't 
see  the  wind.  God  is  here,  Manakum,  but  we 
cannot  see  him." 

In  1882  we  decided  to  take  our  furlough  home. 
Annie  was  nearly  seven  and  there  were  three 
younger  sisters.  Before  our  departure,  we  had 
the  pleasure  of  dedicating  our  new  church  build- 
ing. Quite  a  large  number  of  village  Christians 
came  in  to  attend  the  services  and  bid  us  farewell. 
The  services  were  on  Sunday.  In  the  afternoon 
we  celebrated  the  Lord's  Supper.  On  Monday 
five  couples  were  married.  As  most  of  the  brides 
had  been  boarding-school  girls,  we  had  a  merry 
wedding  feast  in  the  girls'  school  compound,  An- 

i8 


Cbil^  %\Xc  in  HuMa 


nie  joining  with  them,  eating  rice  and  curry  with 
her  hand  as  the  rest  did.  On  Tuesday  we  said 
good-bye  to  the  whole  company,  many  of  them 
accompanying  us  quite  a  distance  along  the  road, 
in    true   Oriental    style. 

Thus  ended  Annie's 
career  as  a  child  in  In- 
dia. She  had  to  leave 
the  home  she  loved,  the 
dear  old  aya/^,  the  dusky 
playmates  who  called 
her  sister  and  go  to  a 
new  country  and  to 
strange  people. 

Poor  old  Janet  was 
almost  heart-broken  at 
losing  her  dear  children. 
She  remained  in  the 
bungalow  to  look  after 
the  little  one  belonging 
to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Burditt, 
who  were  to  take  charge 
of  the  work  during  our  absence.  But  the  night  of  the 
day  we  left,  she  did  not  go  to  bed  at  all,  her  grief  was 
so  great.  She  stood  out  on  the  veranda,  gazing  in  the 
direction  her  little  brood  had  gone,  mourning  for  the 
two  she  never  expected  to  see  again  on  earth. 

''Light     and     shade,    by    turns,    remembrance 
always." 

19 


CHAPTER  II 

CHILD    LIFE    IN    AMERICA 

And  we  shall  see  the  while  we  frown  and  sigh^ 

God's  plans  go  on  as  best  for  you  and  me  ; 
How  when  we  called,  he  heeded  not  our  cry, 

Because  his  wisdom  to  the  end  could  see. 
And  e'en  as  prudent  parents  disallow 

Too  much  of  sweet  to  craving  babyhood, 
So  God,  perhaps,  is  keeping  from  us  now 

Life's  sweetest  things  because  it  seemeth  good. 


i 


'HEN  we  traveled  from  Madras  to 
Nellore  in  1873,  it  took  us  five 
weary  nights,  in  a  bullock  cart 
without  springs,  to  accomplish  the 
distance.  We  traveled  at  night,  because,  though 
it  was  December,  the  sun  was  too  hot  to  allow 
day  travel.  When  we  made  the  return  journey 
in  1882,  it  was  on  the  East  Coast  Canal,  which 
had  been  completed  as  a  "relief  work"  during 
the  dreadful  famine  of  1876  to  1878.  The  canal 
basin  was  fifteen  miles  from  Nellore,  and  we  rode 
that  distance  in  a  conveyance  drawn  by  coolies, 
at  the  rate  of  five  miles  an  hour,  our  *  *  Pull-man 
express,"  as  we  called  it. 

Travel  on  a  canal,  if  slow,  is  very  restful,  and 
we  enjoyed  the  quiet  gliding  of  the  top-boat  after 

20 


Cbilt)  %\tc  in  Hmerica 


all  the  excitement  of  the  preceding  days.  The 
children  were  always  happy  when  traveling,  but  on 
this  occasion  they  were  somewhat  sad  because 
*'  poor  (7ya/i"  had  been  left  behind. 

After  a  few  days  in  Madras,  we  sailed  April 
16,  on  the  "India,"  of  the  British  India  Line. 
There  were  eight  in  our  party.  We  brought  with 
us  from  Nellore,  Seetama,  a  Telugu  girl  who  had 
been  in  our  family  from  the  time  Annie  was  a 
baby.  All  the  children  were  fond  of  her.  She 
went  to  help  on  the  voyage  and  go  to  school  in 
America.  In  Madras  we  were  joined  by  Finette, 
the  youngest  daughter  of  Doctor  and  Mrs.  Jewett. 
Annie  was  very  fond  of  Nettie,  and  we  considered 
her  quite  an  acquisition  to  the  party. 

Our  English  friends,  the  Nellore  collector  and 
family,  were  on  the  steamer  with  us.  Their  two 
girls  had  been  playmates  of  Annie  and  Minnie, 
and  the  four  enjoyed  themselves  day  by  day,  play- 
ing as  happily  as  though  they  were  on  land  and  in 
their  own  homes.  Annie's  seventh  birthday  oc- 
curred while  on  the  steamer  and  she  was  made 
happy  by  some  nice  presents,  provided  In  antici- 
pation of  the  day. 

When  we  reached  London  we  rather  expected 
the  girls  to  be  impressed  with  the  size  of  the  great 
city,  but  to  our  surprise,  both  took  everything  as  a 
matter  of  course,  and  expressed  no  astonishment. 
However,     on    Sunday    we    attended    Spurgeon's 

21 


TLbc  ^onm  natssionar^ 


tabernacle,  and  when  the  great  doors  were  thrown 
open  and  the  crowds  came  in,  one  of  them  asked 
if  a/l  of  London  came  to  that  church. 

Annie  had  always  claimed  that  she  was  an 
American  Indian,  for,  said  she,  ''  My  papa  and 
mamma  are  Americans,  therefore  I  am  an  Ameri- 
can, and  I  was  born  in  India,  therefore  I  am  an 
Indian."  We  took  her  to  the  Crystal  Palace  and 
in  the  ethnological  department  we  saw  a  group  of 
American  Indians  in  their  rudeness  and  squalor 
near  their  wigwams.  She  stood  for  a  while  look- 
ing intently  at  the  group  and  then  said,  "I'll  not 
be  an  American  Indian  any  more." 

On  our  arrival  among  friends  Annie  soon  be- 
came accustomed  to  the  new  mode  of  life  and  fell 
readily  into  American  ways.  She  enjoyed  going 
to  a  kindergarten  and  learned  very  readily.  Both 
girls  were  very  shy  about  talking  Telugu,  which 
they  spoke  fluently.  Annie  said  to  us  one  day, 
**  People  always  laugh  when  we  talk  Telugu  and 
we  don't  like  to  be  laughed  at."  The  only  thing 
she  was  willing  to  do  was  occasionally  to  sing  a 
Telugu  hymn,  and  even  that  was  a  great  cross  to 
the  sensitive  child. 

During  the  first  winter  at  home  she  was  taken 
ill  with  scarlet  fever  and  had  to  be  isolated  from 
all.  Instead  of  grumbling  at  being  in  bed  she 
said  gleefully,  "  I  don't  mind  being  sick  mother, 
because    I    can  have  you  all  to   myself."     And 

22 


CbilD  Xite  in  Bmertca 


mother  and  daughter  had  some  precious  hours 
together  during  the  illness  and  convalescence. 

The  pleasure  of  the  two  years  at  home  was 
shadowed  by  the  thought  of  the  coming  separa- 
tion. Annie  was  old  enough  to  understand  the 
necessity  for  it,  but  she  dreaded  the  time  to  come 
almost  as  much  as  we  did. 

During  the  last  few  months  of  our  stay,  there 
were  meetings  in  various  churches  and  requests  for 
the  two  girls  to  be  present,  that  the  ladies  might 
see  them  and  so  feel  an  interest  in  them  when  they 
were  alone  in  the  land.  Annie  always  shrank 
from  the  publicity  of  the  meetings.  Once,  in  the 
Hanson  Place  Church,  Brooklyn,  the  girls  were 
present,  dressed  in  Telugu  costume  and  while  their 
mother  was  making  an  address,  some  one  lifted 
them  up  where  they  could  be  seen  by  all  the  ladies 
present.  As  the  mother  spoke  of  the  coming 
trial  and  asked  the  prayers  of  those  present  for 
her  children,  some  of  the  ladies  noticed  the  tears 
rolling  down  Annie's  face.  Minnie,  by  her  side, 
noticed  them  too,  and  taking  her  little  handker- 
chief she  wiped  away  her  sister's  tears.  It  was  a 
pathetic  sight.  Some  remembered  the  scene  and 
spoke  of  it  years  after  when  we  were  again  home 
on  furlough. 

The  time  for  our  second  journey  to  India  drew 
near,  and  early  in  July  we  took  the  two  girls  to 
Boston,  Mass.,  and  left  them  in  the  Home  for  Mis- 

23 


Ubc  ISoung  missionary 


sionaries'  Children,  in  Newton  Centre.  It  was  a 
sad  parting  for  all,  but  the  little  sisters  who  re- 
turned seemed  to  feel  it  even  more  than  those  left 
behind.  For  months  the  burden  of  dear  Elsie's 
cry  was  :  "I  want  my  Annie  and  Minnie."  Even 
tiny  Alice,  two  years  old,  would  look  into  the  faces 
of  those  who  took  notice  of  her  and  say :  *  *  I  left 
my  Annie  in  Newton  Centre."  As  for  ourselves, 
it  seemed  as  though  part  of  our  very  lives  had 
been  cut  out  and  left  behind. 

Annie  stayed  in  the  home  from  1884  to  1890. 
Her  life  there  was  a  very  happy  one  and  she  de- 
veloped rapidly.  Her  letters  to  India  used  to  be 
full  of  the  pleasures  of  school  and  home  life. 
The  children  lived  much  in  the  open  air ;  they  had 
trips  into  the  woods,  boating  on  the  pond,  and  en- 
joyed tennis  and  other  healthful  games  in  the  gar- 
den. Birthdays  and  holidays  were  always  kept, 
and  the  children  were  well  remembered  by  relatives 
and  friends  on  all  such  occasions. 

Annie's  letters  were  often  written  on  Sunday, 
and  as  she  grew  older  she  generally  sent  a  digest 
of  the  sermon,  and  we  used  to  wonder,  sometimes, 
at  the  clear  way  in  which  she  put  down  the  salient 
points  and  the  amount  she  remembered  of  what 
the  minister  had  said.  It  was  only  the  beginning 
of  the  way  her  mind  worked  later  on.  In  school 
she  absorbed  knowledge  naturally,  and  was  always 
far  up  in  her  classes.     It  was  a  pleasure  to  her  to 

24 


Cbilt)  Xite  in  Hmertca 


study,  and  though  fond  of  play,  she  never  neg- 
lected her  lessons. 

At  ten  years  of  age  she  requested  admission  to 
the  church.  When  giving  her  experience  she 
dated  her  first  thoughts  of  God  and  love  for  him 
to  six  years  of  age,  when  in  Nellore.  With  her, 
though,  there  was  no  precise  time  when  she  could 
say  her  sins  had  been  forgiven,  for  as  soon  as  she 
understood  the  difference  between  right  and  wrong 
she  chose  the  right,  and  her  heart  ever  seemed  to 
turn  to  the  Lord  in  love. 

After  uniting  with  the  church  she  was  always  a 
prominent  worker,  ready  to  take  her  part  in  meet- 
ing and  anxious  to  be  in  her  place  whether  the 
weather  was  propitious  or  not.  Both  Doctor 
Braislin  and  Doctor  Barnes  who  followed  him  as 
pastor  of  the  Newton  Centre  Baptist  Church,  fre- 
quently said  that  they  gathered  no  little  inspiration 
from  the  earnest  faces  that  were  raised  to  them 
from  the  row  of  children  belonging  to  the  home. 
Doctor  Barnes,  in  noticing  Annie's  call  ''homey'* 
writes:  **  Annie  was  an  inspiration,  as  a  child,  in 
the  church  life  at  Newton  Centre.  In  our  meeting, 
the  other  evening,  I  told  our  people  about  the  two 
bright-eyed  girls  who  sat  near  the  front,  in  the  prayer 
meetings  at  Newton  Centre,  and  were  a  cheer  to  the 
pastor.  I  am  sure  that  Annie  has  brought  gladness 
into  the  assemblies  of  heaven.  Our  loss  is  not  only 
her  gain  but  also  their  gain.      It  is  wonderful  to 

25 


Ubc  JSouno  nat9sionar^ 


know  that,  as  much  as  she  was  needed  in  India, 
she  was  needed  still  more  in  heaven." 

In  1888  the  first  great  sorrow  in  the  lives  of  the 
Downie  girls  came  with  the  news  of  the  death  of 
the  sister,  Elsie,  in  India.  Annie,  particularly, 
felt  the  blow  keenly,  for  Elsie  had  become  able  to 
write  letters  to  her  sisters,  and  had  made  little 
presents  to  send  across  the  waters  to  them.  A 
letter  from  Annie  to  Elsie,  before  the  latter  was 
taken  ill,  told  of  some  nice  times  they  were  having 
in  Newton  Centre,  and  the  wish  was  expressed  that 
her  sister  could  be  there  too.  After  reading  the 
letter  aloud,  Elsie  grew  very  quiet  and  finally  said  : 
"Yes,  it  would  be  very  nice  to  be  in  America, 
but  heaven  is  a  much  nicer  place,  I'd  rather  go  to 
heaven."  A  little  later  she  said  to  a  playmate: 
"  Daisy,  I'll  never  go  to  America,  I'll  die  in  Coo- 
noor  or  Madras  or  Nellore,  but  you'll  see,  I'll  never 
go  to  America."  **  Don't  you  want  to  go  to  Amer- 
ica ?  "  Daisy  asked.  "I'd  rather  go  to  heaven," 
Elsie  answered.  "  I'll  see  grandma  and  my  sisters 
in  heaven.  I  am  going  to  heaven,  Daisy,  and  I 
want  you  to  come  and  see  the  angels  too.  Oh,  I 
want  to  go  this  minute." 

This  testimony  of  dear  Elsie  as  to  her  readiness 
and  desire  for  the  last  change  affected  Annie 
much,  and  she  confessed  afterward  that  her  great 
longing  was  to  be  as  ready  as  her  sister  was,  if 
her  call  came  soon. 

26 


dbilC)  Xtte  in  Hmerica 


The  old  ayah  was  spared  the  sorrow  of  losing 
one  of  her  children,  for  she  had  been  called  to  her 
heavenly  home  the  year  before.  During  her  long  ill- 
ness Elsie  and  Alice  visited  her  daily.  Elsie  would 
talk  to  her  about  going  to  heaven,  of  the  beauties 
of  the  place,  and  how  Jesus  would  never  let  her 
have  any  more  pain  or  trouble.  As  the  faithful 
old  servant  drew  near  her  end  she  spoke  lovingly 
of  the  two  in  America,  and  desired  some  strings 
of  gold  beads  sent  to  them  after  her  death,  be- 
cause they  had  loved  to  play  with  them,  and  Annie 
had  so  often  worn  them. 

The  stress  of  mission  work  and  the  sorrow  that 
had  come  into  the  home  in  Nellore,  had  told  on 
the  mother's  health  and  a  change  was  deemed 
necessary.  Accordingly,  she  and  Alice  turned 
their  faces  to  the  West  early  in  1890,  leaving  the 
husband  and  father  behind,  as  the  work  did  not 
permit  him  to  take  a  furlough  then. 

The  separation  of  husband  and  wife  is  even 
harder  to  bear  than  that  of  parents  from  children, 
but  the  Lord  helped  in  that,  as  he  does  in  every 
trial  that  comes  to  his  children.  We  need  the  dis- 
cipline that  comes  from  the  disarranging  of  our 
plans,  and  we  have  proved  by  experience  that  the 
Lord  is  never  nearer  and  dearer  than  when  bring- 
ing us  into  the  shadows  for  our  good. 

**  May  your  life  have  just  enough  of  the  shadow 
to  temper  the  glare  of  the  sun." 

27 


CHAPTER  III 

A    RE-UNITED    FAMII.Y 

And  if  sometime,  commingled  witli  life's  wine, 

We  find  the  wormwood,  and  rebel  and  shrini<. 
Be  sure  a  wiser  hand  than  yours  or  mine 

Pours  out  this  potion  for  our  lips  to  drink. 
And  if  some  friend  we  love  is  lying  low, 

Where  human  kisses  cannot  reach  his  face. 
Oh  !  do  not  blame  the  loving  Father  so. 

But  bear  your  sorrow  with  obedient  grace. 

|IX  years  had  passed  since  Annie  and 
Minnie  Downie  had  seen  their  mother 
and  baby  sister,  and  great  was  the 
rejoicing  when  word  came  that  they 
were  on  the  way  home.  The  girls  planned  to  go 
into  Boston  to  meet  the  ship,  but  as  it  arrived  before 
the  expected  time,  the  travelers  reached  Newton 
Centre  and  drove  up  to  the  door  of  the  home  by 
themselves.  The  mother's  feelings,  when  two  large, 
strange-looking  girls  came  running  out  to  greet  her, 
can  better  be  imagined  than  expressed.  It  took 
some  time  for  her  to  realize  they  were  really  the  two 
little  girls  she  had  left  six  years  before. 

Readville  is  a  suburb  of  Hyde  Park,  and  near 
enough  to  Boston  to  allow  of  frequent  trips  on 
business  or  pleasure.      *'  Blue  Hill,"  with  the  New 

28 


H  1Re==untteb  ifamtl^ 


England  Observatory  on  top,  is  quite  near,  and 
the  place  has  some  national  notoriety  as  being  the 
Massachusetts  camping  ground  during  the  Civil 
War.  Here  a  home  for  the  family  re-united  was 
secured  which  was  pleasantly  situated  with  the  old 
camping  ground  in  front,  and  a  large  pond  full  of 
water-lilies  at  their  back. 

We  have  always  considered  the  two  years  spent 
in  Readville,  as  among  the  happiest  in  the  lives  of 
the  two  girls.  There  was  a  choice  circle  of  young 
people,  with  something  always  on  hand  in  which 
all  were  interested.  There  were  woods  all  around, 
full  of  the  wild  flowers  that  Annie  loved ;  skating, 
sledding,  and  snowballing  in  winter,  with  pleasant 
evenings  when  the  young  people  gathered  together 
to  practise  for  some  entertainment  or  to  amuse 
themselves  with  music  and  games.  In  all  the  go- 
ings-on, Annie  was  usually  the  foremost  one,  plan- 
ning for  one  thing  after  another,  and  helping  to 
carry  out  all  the  arrangements  with  method  and 
precision.  Her  vitality  seemed  unlimited  and  her 
powers  of  endurance  very  great.  She  never  seemed 
tired.  Her  daily  studies,  painting,  violin  lessons, 
and  practice,  took  a  deal  of  her  time,  but  she  al- 
ways managed  so  that  there  was  time  left  for  the 
meetings,  for  private  devotions,  and  for  the  inno- 
cent pleasures  the  quiet  country  place  afforded. 

There  was  no  Baptist  church  in  Readville,  but 
there  was   a   union  enterprise  with   a  pretty  little 

29 


XTbe  13ounG  rmtssionar^ 


chapel,  and  to  that  Annie  gave  her  support  and 
presence,  and  no  matter  how  inclement  the  weather, 
her  place  was  always  filled.  She  helped  in  the 
Sunday-school,  in  the  various  religious  meetings, 
and  endeared  herself  to  all  the  elders  by  her  bright- 
ness and  readiness  to  undertake  any  work  assigned 
to  her.  She  is  credited  with  having  inspired  the 
organization  of  the  Y.  P.  S.  C.  E.,  and  was  one 
of  its  most  enthusiastic  members.  She  also  took 
a  prominent  part  in  various  missionary  meetings. 

Early  in  1892  we  began  to  look  forward  to  the 
return  of  Mr.  Downie.  He  was  hardly  more  than 
a  far-away  memory  to  the  two  older  girls,  for  they 
were  only  nine  and  seven  when  he  left  them  eight 
years  before.  Had  he  met  them  unexpectedly,  on 
his  way  home,  he  would  hardly  have  recognized 
them.  He  came  in  May,  and  though,  at  first,  there 
was  a  little  constraint  between  the  three,  yet  that 
soon  wore  away,  and  they  became  comrades  and 
companions.  That  summer  was  an  eventful  one. 
As  we  had  been  separated  for  so  long  a  time,  we 
were  anxious  to  spend  the  vacation  in  some  special 
way.  An  excursion  to  Long  Island,  Casco  Bay, 
was  decided  on.  There  was  a  delightful  night  on 
the  ocean  from  Boston  to  Portland,  Maine,  a  steam 
down  the  lovely  bay  with  its  three  hundred  and 
sixty-five  islands  and  a  walk  across  Long  Island  to 
the  ocean  side,  which  was  uninhabited  except  for 
few  scattered  fishermen's  houses. 

30 


U  IRe^untteD  ifamtl^ 


A  friend  in  Portland  loaned  us  an  abandoned 
farmhouse,  and  there  we  camped  for  three  weeks. 
Our  bedding  was  spread  on  the  floor,  a  table  was 
made  out  of  an  old  barn  door,  each  had  a  camp- 
stool,  and  there  were  just  enough  dishes  to  go 
around.  A  kerosene  stove  with  its  furniture,  which 
had  been  brought  along,  and  a  large  box  to  hold  a 
hundred  pounds  of  ice  with  corners  for  milk  and  but- 
ter cans,  completed  the  outfit.  We  were  so  used  to 
camp  life  in  India  that  we  could  readily  adapt  our- 
selves to  our  surroundings  and  enjoy  all  thoroughly. 

The  days  were  usually  spent  out  on  the  rocks 
where  the  ocean  came  tumbling  in,  fishing  for 
*'  cunners,"  or  with  some  of  the  fishermen  in 
their  boats,  trying  for  other  fish  in  the  deep  ocean. 
The  fish  caught  were  cleaned,  cooked,  and  eaten 
with  the  best  of  all  relishes — hunger. 

Annie's  talent  for  painting  was  of  use  here. 
She  took  several  sketches  of  our  camp  and  the 
ocean  and  made  the  **  captain,"  who  had  been 
very  kind,  lending  his  boat  and  bringing  us  crabs 
and  lobsters,  very  happy,  by  giving  him  a  very 
clever  water-color  painting  of  his  house. 

In  the  fall  of  1892,  the  pleasant  home  was 
broken  up  and  we  removed  to  West  Chester,  Pa., 
near  our  home  city  of  Philadelphia.  Here  the 
two  eldest  girls  entered  the  State  Normal  School 
as  boarders.  The  rest  of  us  took  rooms  near  so 
that  we  could  all  be  together  part  of  each  day. 
C  31 


trbe  13ouna  tiatssionar^ 


It  had  been  decided  that  all  five  of  us  would 
return  to  India,  if  the  Lord  opened  the  way.  So 
Annie  took  only  elective  studies  for  the  year,  a 
complete  course  in  chemistry,  a  few  English 
branches,  Greek  New  Testament,  violin  and  vocal 
culture.  It  was  quite  a  change  from  a  public  to  a 
boarding  school,  but  she  entered  upon  the  life 
there  with  her  usual  energy  and  before  long  was  a 
favorite  with  her  teachers  and  stood  high  in  her 
classes.  It  was  characteristic  of  her,  that  she 
threw  her  whole  self  into  whatever  she  was  doing. 
Writing  of  this  later  on,  Mrs.  Philips,  the  princi- 
pal's wife,  said:  *'  None  of  us,  I  feel  sure,  realized 
Annie's  frail  nature  quite  enough.  As  a  young 
girl,  here,  I  used  to  remark  on  her  nervous  tension 
in  class  and  although  she  recited  with  ease,  her 
whole  being  was  involved." 

She  made  some  true  friends  during  the  year, 
whose  love  cheered  her  to  the  end  of  her  days.  In 
her  diary  she  writes  in  one  place  :  "  Isn't  God  good 
to  give  us  friends  ?  I  mean  good,  true  friends  who 
help  us  in  life  and  when  gone  leave  a  sweet,  fragrant 
memory  behind."  At  the  end  of  the  school  year 
the  way  opened  for  the  return  of  us  all  to  India. 

When  we  went  in  1884  and  left  the  two  girls  be- 
hind, some  friends  said:  "How  can  you  leave 
those  dear  children  and  go  so  far  away  ?  "  When 
we  decided  not  to  leave  either  of  them  we  thought 
all  would  be  pleased.      But  no,  we  were  met  with 

32 


H  1Re*=unttet)  jfamily 


this :  "  How  can  you  take  those  young  girls  away 
from  their  friends,  from  their  school  life,  out  to  a 
land  where  they  will  have  no  advantages  ?  How 
can  you  blight  their  lives  by  not  letting  them  have 
that  which  belongs  to  all  young  lives?"  Our 
reply  was  that  we  felt  we  were  doing  the  right 
thing ;  that  what  the  girls  would  lose  of  school  life 
and  contact  with  young  people  at  home,  would  be 
made  up  to  them  in  other  ways ;  that  by  seeing 
the  work  on  the  field,  they  would  gain  for  their 
Christian  characters  what  they  might  never  gain  at 
home,  and  it  was  our  wish  that  they  should  get  in- 
terested in  the  salvation  of  the  heathen  before 
they  decided  as  to  their  life  work. 

We  sailed  from  New  York,  August  20,  on  the 
"Furnesia,"  bound  for  Glasgow.  Quite  a  number 
of  friends  came  to  see  us  off  and  wish  us  "  God- 
speed," as  we  once  more  bade  farewell  to  home 
and  friends.     For  how  long  ?    Who  could  say  ? 

You  messengers  of  God  to  men 

Now  on  the  deep  sea  tossing, 
Naught  shall  you  hurt,  God  shall  avert 

The  danger  of  the  crossing. 
The  ship  is  safe,  w  ith  Christ  ye  sail, 

And  ye  are  bearing  orders  ; 
All  places  lie  beneath  one  sky, 

Close  to  the  heavenly  borders. 
God  at  the  helm,  to  guide  the  barl<, 

There  is  no  room  for  error ; 
Whom  he  has  sent,  should  be  content, 

Nor  yield  to  doubt  or  terror. 

33 


CHAPTER  IV 

THE    RETURN   TO   INDIA 

And  you  shall  shortly  know  that  lengthened  breath 

Is  not  the  sweetest  gift  God  sends  his  friends, 
And  that,  sometimes,  the  sable  pall  of  death 

Conceals  the  fairest  boon  his  love  can  send. 
If  we  could  push  ajar  the  gates  of  life. 

And  stand  within,  and  all  God's  working  see. 
We  could  interpret  all  this  doubt  and  strife. 

And  for  each  mystery  find  a  key. 

HE  journey  across  the  Atlantic  was  a 
pleasant  one.  All  of  us  were  good 
sailors,  and  Annie  enjoyed  shipboard 
life  as  she  enjoyed  everything  else. 
When  we  reached  Glasgow  we  were  the  guests  of 
Reverend  and  Mrs.  Robarts,  spending  a  few  days  in 
their  pleasant  home  seeing  the  curious  old  Scotch 
city.  Then  the  two  older  girls  and  their  father 
went  through  the  Trossachs  while  Alice  and  her 
mother  visited  friends  in  Edinburgh. 

How  Annie  enjoyed  that  trip  through  the  moun- 
tains !  The  scenery  on  the  lochs,  the  rides  through 
the  passes  on  the  tops  of  stagecoaches,  the  stay 
at  the  various  queer  Scotch  inns,  all  formed  sub- 
jects for  graphic  letters  home.  For  us  she  had 
some   sketches  to  show  and   much  to  tell  of  the 

34 


Ube  IRetutn  to  luMa 


people  she  had  met  and  the  queer  things  heard. 
She  was  delighted  with  Edinburgh,  and  our  kind 
hostess,  Miss  Jeanie  Rose,  of  Hillside  Crescent, 
saw  that  she  had  every  opportunity  of  seeing  all  the 
historical  places  and  points  of  interest  in  the  Queen 
City.  So  with  the  rest  of  the  trip.  The  visit  to 
Melrose  Abbey,  the  journey  to  London  with  a  stop- 
over at  York  to  see  the  fine  cathedral,  and  the  ten 
days  in  London  with  the  many  wonders  of  that  me- 
tropolis, were  all  an  education  and  an  inspiration. 

On  the  way  to  Liverpool  we  had  a  rare  treat  in 
a  visit  to  Oxford.  We  lunched  with  the  Dean  of 
Queen's  College  in  his  apartments,  where  we  saw 
many  curios  and  some  fine  specimens  of  carvings 
from  France.  The  dean  is  a  brother  of  Jas.  Grose, 
Esq.,  our  Nellore  collector,  with  whose  family  we 
had  been  on  such  friendly  terms.  After  lunch 
he  showed  us  the  various  colleges,  explaining  the 
merits  of  the  different  buildings,  giving  us  an  idea 
of  the  place  that  could  not  have  been  obtained  in 
so  short  a  visit  in  any  other  way. 

Only  a  few  days  were  spent  in  Liverpool ; 
but  we  were  ready  for  the  second  voyage  on  the 
"Clan  Macintosh,"  November  fourth,  and  when 
the  vessel  was  once  under  way  we  breathed  a  sigh 
of  relief  that  we  were  once  more  headed  for  home 
and  the  work  awaiting  us  there. 

Annie  was  so  young  when  she  went  to  America 
in    1882   that    she    remembered    but   little   of   the 

35 


Xlbe  13ouna  milsstonar^ 


places  on  the  way,  so  everything  was  of  interest 
to  her.  In  her  diary  she  tells  of  the  day  in  Malta 
and  of  the  comical  sights  at  Port  Said,  where  she 
bought  a  coin  bracelet  as  a  souvenir,  and  quotes 
the  vender's  speech:  "  Real  oxidized  silver,  lady, 
wid  ze  head  of  Rameses,  ze  great  Rameses,  and 

real  Egypt  coin  from 
Cairo,  lady,  v-e-r-y 
sheap."  The  search- 
light through  the  canal 
excited  her  wonder  too, 
but  Colombo  came  in 
for  the  greatest  praise 
of  all  as  it  was  the  first 
real  sight  of  the  tropics. 
Madras  was  reached 
December  ninth,  and  af- 
ter a  few  days'  shopping 
we  made  the  journey 
to  Nellore  by  rail,  as 
the  South  India  road 
had  been  extended  that 
far.  We  were  right  royally  welcomed  by  the 
schools  and  native  Christians  who  were  rejoiced 
at  having  their  **  parents  and  sisters  "  once  more 
among  them. 

Now  began  in  reality  the  experiment  of  bring- 
ing three  young  girls  to  a  climate  like  that  of 
Southern  India,  to  a  station  away  from  the  civili- 

^6 


TEMPLE    GATEWAY    NEAR    NELLORE 


Ube  IReturn  to  HuMa 


zation  of  the  large  centers ;  away  from  books  and 
teachers ;  away  from  young  companionship  and 
all  that  makes  life  pleasant  to  girls  just  budding 
into  womanhood.  Was  the  experience  a  success 
or  a  failure?  Let  the  record  of  the  next  few 
years  answer  the  question. 

Annie  at  this  time  was  eighteen.  She  had 
looked  forward  to  a  college  career  and  the  break- 
ing up  of  school  life  had  been  hard  for  her. 
Yet  so  sweet  was  her  disposition  that  she  never 
referred  to  her  disappointment  but  cheerfully  ac- 
quiesced in  all  the  new  plans.  She  knew  we  had 
prayed  much  and  thought  well  before  deciding 
upon  the  step  and  she  determined  to  do  her  part 
fully.  Later  on  she  confessed  that  she  felt  very 
unsettled  and  dissatisfied  for  over  a  year,  but 
when  she  began  to  see  the  destitution  all  around 
and  the  great  need  there  was  for  workers,  her 
unrest  left  her  and  she  was  glad  she  was  among 
the  heathen  and  could  do  her  share  in  bringing 
the  Saviour  to  them. 

While  at  home  she  had  expressed  a  desire  to 
study  medicine  and  we  thought  she  could  enter  the 
Medical  College  in  Madras,  but  we  found  that  all 
candidates  must  first  pass  the  matriculation  examin- 
ation which  meant,  for  her,  a  year's  study.  There- 
fore, soon  after  reaching  Nellore,  she  procured  the 
necessary  books  and  began  to  read  up  the  pre- 
scribed subjects.     In  order  that  her  life  during  this 

37 


Xlbe  IBouna  missionary 


year  may  be  brought  fully  before  our  readers,  we 
have  quoted  quite  freely  from  her  diary. 

January  i,  1894.  It  seems  a  long  time  since  I  made  my 
last  New  Year's  resolutions.  I  have  gone  through  so  many 
shifting  scenes  and  have  visited  so  many  places.  As  I  look 
back  over  the  last  year,  I  am  discouraged  at  the  thought  of 
unused  opportunities,  broken  resolutions,  and  failures  in  my 
year's  record.  But  it  is  past,  beyond  recall,  and  all  I  can  do 
now  is  to  turn  over  a  new  leaf  and  pray  to  be  kept  in  the 
straight  and  narrow  way  of  right  and  duty. 

The  New  Year  has  begun  with  pouring  rain  ;  I  suppose 
nature  is  weeping  over  the  death  of  1893,  a  year  which  to  me 
holds  some  of  the  happiest  and  some  of  the  saddest  memories 
of  my  life.  So  with  a  tear  and  a  sigh  I  bid  '93  good-bye, 
then  turn  with  hope  and  a  prayer  to  the  joys  of  '94,  which 
like  a  book  is  slowly  opening  to  me. 

January  4.  To-day  is  a  great  day  of  sacrifice,  among  the 
Hindus,  to  Polaramah,  the  goddess  of  smallpox,  and  oh  !  such 
a  crowd  as  gathered  at  the  place  of  sacrifice.  The  procession 
passed  our  compound  with  fireworks  and  torches,  bearing  in 
the  midst  a  clay  figure  of  the  goddess  which  the  people  were 
about  to  throw  into  the  river,  the  rites  all  being  accomplished. 
They  were  making  most  unearthly  noises  to  propitiate  the 
goddess  and  to  frighten  away  the  evil  spirits  of  smallpox  and 
cholera.  It  is  so  sad  to  see  their  blind  superstition  and  igno- 
rance. They  hate  this  goddess  and  try  to  frighten  it  by 
hideous  dances  while  they  heap  execrations  upon  it. 

January  5.  it  has  been  a  remarkably  quiet  day  even  for 
this  remarkably  quiet  place.  This  morning  and  afternoon  I 
have  been  fixing  up  my  box  of  clippings  from  well-known 
authors.  My  Telugu  lesson  passed  off  better  than  it  has  for 
the  past  few  days.  I  am  beginning  to  like  it  very  well  now, 
though  it  is  much  harder  than  either  Greek  or  Latin. 

January  7.  It  is  no  use  talking  about  the  weather  in  this 
country,  for  it  is  not  at  all  like  our  changeable  American 
weather.  When  it  is  dry,  it  is  very  dry,  and  when  it  is  wet 
it  is  soaking.     I  acted  as  superintendent  to  the  English  Sun- 

38 


Ubc  IReturn  to  UnMa 


day-school  in  the  absence  of  Miss  Faye,  and  made  so  many 
blunders  1  am  ashamed  of  myself.  1  forgot  to  give  out  the 
merit  cards  and  lots  of  things.  In  the  evening  six  natives 
were  baptized,  and  it  was  a  very  impressive  ceremony.  Our 
baptistery  is  a  small,  round,  well-like  structure  almost  in  front 
of  our  bungalow,  and  it  was  such  a  beautiful  sight,  the  white- 
robed  school  children  and  a  crowd  of  native  Christians 
watching  the  rite,  while  at  the  back  the  sun  was  setting. 

January  8.  Dr.  Ida  Faye  telegraphed  that  they  would  be 
home  to-morrow  bringing  company  with  them.  But  we  are 
used  to  that.  This  house  has  never  been  so  full  but  that  we 
could  welcome  any  new-comer,  if  worst  comes  to  worst,  we 
can  stow  away  some  in  a  tremendous  tent  we  have  to  go 
camping  in.  .  .  1  have  been  busy  fixing  library  books,  put- 
ting new  numbers  on,  entering  them,  and  so  forth.  Our  Sun- 
day-school library  is  in  a  dreadful  condition.  I  have  been 
quite  miserable  for  several  days.  I  cannot  seem  to  find  any 
cure  for  my  ailments. 

January  9.  Dr.  Ida  and  Miss  Faye  came  this  morning, 
bringing  with  them  Mr.  and  Mrs.  McKay  and  their  son  and 
heir,  aged  three  months.  Mr.  Drake  also  dropped  in  to  break- 
fast, so  we  were  a  very  merry  crowd,  twelve  at  the  table,  and 
such  a  jolly  dozen.  We  did  a  good  deal  more  talking  and 
laughing  than  eating,  though  there  was  plenty  of  that  too. 
Finally,  father.  Miss  Faye,  and  I  got  to  shooting  custard 
apple  seeds  across  the  table,  when  mother  called  us  to  order. 

January  11.  I  gave  my  first  Greek  lesson  to  Subbiah  to- 
day and  1  think  he  will  be  very  bright  at  it.  Our  house  has 
been  totally  upset  for  the  last  few  days,  it  will  seem  strange 
to  get  quiet  again. 

January  12.  Father  went  into  camp  directly  after  dinner. 
When  he  was  half-way  down  the  drive  we  had  to  call  him 
back  because  he  had  started  off  without  any  hat.  This  after- 
noon we  went  for  a  walk  along  the  canal.  It  was  a  delight- 
fully cool  day  and  we  thoroughly  enjoyed  our  walk.  I 
gathered  a  number  of  specimens  of  flowers  on  the  way  which 
1  have  pressed.  We  went  to  a  place  where  I  suppose  no 
whites  have  been  before,  because  the  children  ran  from  us  in 

39 


Xlbe  ^o\xm  flnissionar^ 


terror  or  stared  in  amazement.  I  am  beginning  to  study  for 
tlie  matriculation  examination  in  dead  earnest.  Physics  is 
tlie  first  brancli  I  liave  tackled  as  it  is  tlie  hardest  for  me. 
To-morrow  i  will  do  some  history. 

January  14.  A  very  small  English  Sunday-school  to- 
day. The  Lord  Bishop  of  Madras  is  in  Nellore,  and  all  the 
English-speaking  population  flock  to  hear  him.  We  all 
intended  going  this  evening,  but  were  kept  at  home  by 
one  of  the  schoolgirls  getting  convulsions.  She  came  in 
and  out  of  twenty  within  two  hours.  Doctor  Ida  was 
away  in  camp,  and  was  not  expected  until  eight  o'clock. 
How  we  did  long  for  her  coming  while  we  tried  everything 
we  knew  anything  about. 

January  15.  This  noon  I  was  resting  in  my  room  when  I 
heard  a  commotion  downstairs.  A  baby  had  been  brought  to 
Doctor  Faye,  in  all  probability  in  a  dying  condition.  We 
hurried  down  and  found  the  poor  little  thing,  only  four  months 
old,  in  terrible  inward  convulsions.  The  mother  had  given  it 
a  hot  bath,  and  then  to  prevent  it  from  taking  a  chill  had 
given  it  a  preparation  of  hot  pepper.  The  stomach  and  abdo- 
men were  inflated  until  they  pressed  upon  the  heart  almost 
stopping  its  working  powers.  All  five  of  us  worked  over 
that  baby  from  half-past  one  until  five  o'clock  and  then  fear- 
ful of  something  happening,  1  held  it  until  seven  o'clock  in 
my  lap.  But  it  lives,  yes,  is  almost  well.  Oh,  the  happiness 
of  the  mother  is  beyond  measure,  for  it  is  her  only  one. 

January  16.  Doctor  Faye  and  I  went  to  Koour  to-day,  to 
her  dispensary  there,  and  it  was  very  interesting.  First,  we 
had  Telugu  prayers.  Imagine  us  two,  in  a  box  of  a  room, 
with  a  few  Bible  women,  the  window,  door,  and  every  avail- 
able nook  crammed  with  a  motley  throng  of  heathen.  Some 
listened  to  our  hymns  and  prayers,  making  audible  comments 
throughout  the  whole  of  them  ;  some  went  away  indifferent ; 
some  were  curious,  and  a  few,  we  hope,  had  some  seeds  of 
truth  of  Christ's  love  dropped  into  their  hearts.  We  may 
not  know  in  this  world  how  much  good  every  such  small 
effort  does.  After  prayers  we  went  to  the  medical  work. 
There  were  twenty-three  patients  with  every  sort  of  ailment, 

40 


Ubc  IRetutn  to  UnMa 


some  slight,  some  very  serious.  It  is  pitiable  the  amount  of 
suffering  endured  by  this  people. 

January  i8.  Minnie  and  I  had  a  regular  scramble  this 
morning  in  the  library  and  around  the  verandas,  which  we 
enjoyed  immensely.  To  pay  up  for  it  we  both  had  to  go  un- 
prepared to  our  lessons,  she  to  her  Telugu,  I  to  my  Greek.  I 
haven't  had  a  regular  scramble  since  I  came  here,  the  climate 
is  too  hot,  but  1  did  enjoy  this  one,  it  seemed  like  home.  Sub- 
biah  is  getting  along  splendidly  in  his  Greek.  He  is  very 
fond  of  asking  questions.  I  enjoy  having  him  for  a  scholar, 
he  is  so  nice. 

January  ig.  Early  this  afternoon  when  all  were  out  but 
Alice  and  myself,  she  called  me  down  to  see  some  sick 
patients.  Although  my  head  was  going  like  a  trip-hammer, 
I  went  down  and  found  a  little  baby,  thirteen  days  old,  who 
had  fallen  into  the  fire  and  was  in  a  terrible  condition.  I  had 
to  go  chasing  around  in  the  broiling  sun  for  Jessie  (Doctor 
Faye's  assistant).  We  looked  over  the  medicine  chest  but 
decided  the  baby  was  in  too  bad  a  condition  for  us  to  handle, 
so  we  sent  it  to  the  government  hospital. 

January  20,  Saturday.  Time  fairly  flies  here.  There  are 
so  many  things  1  wanted  to  do  that  1  haven't  touched,  yet  I 
have  been  busy  every  hour  of  the  week  doing  something. 
To-day  it  was  those  library  books  again.  This  evening  I 
had  a  fine  time  studying,  got  my  Bible  lesson  for  to-morrow, 
my  Greek  for  Monday,  and  part  of  my  British  history. 
Mother  says  we  must  employ  every  odd  minute,  and  I  have 
come  to  see  the  truth  of  her  words.  Alice  is  getting  along 
beautifully  in  her  music.  She  is  not  quite  ready  sometimes 
to  study  the  hard  places,  but,  on  the  whole,  does  very  well. 

January  21.  Our  Sunday-school  lesson  was  on  our  first 
parents'  disobedience.  If  it  didn't  do  any  one  else  any  good, 
I  know  it  helped  me  very  much.  Everything  seemed  more 
real  to  me  as  I  tried  to  explain  it  to  my  little  girls  and  I  saw 
the  sin,  the  curse,  the  promise,  and  the  result  to  posterity 
more  forcibly  than  1  ever  did  before.  What  a  sly  old  serpent 
Satan  is  anvway  !  I  wonder  if  it  is  the  curse  upon  the  serpent 
that  has  made  it  so  odious  to  mortals,  beautiful  as  it  is  in  many 

41 


Ubc  l^ouna  fiHisslonati^ 


of  its  forms?  Whenever  1  see  a  snake,  somehow  it  reminds 
me  of  Satan.  .  .  I  stood  for  a  while  on  the  veranda  and  was 
enchanted  with  the  beauty  of  the  moonlight.  Outside  it  looks 
like  fairyland  bathed  in  silver.  But  it  made  me  sad  and  heart- 
sick for  home,  so  1  did  not  venture  to  stay  there  long. 

January  26.  If  there  is  one  thing  more  than  another  that 
gives  me  trouble  it  is  my  temper,  it  seems  to  me  when  1  try 
my  hardest,  then  I  fail  most  signally.  It  is  so  hard  to  battle 
against  self  and  sin  !  Perhaps  I  trust  too  much  in  my  own 
strength  and  do  not  lean  enough  upon  the  strong  arm  of  my 
eternal  Friend.  How  often  our  prayers  are  wandering,  faint- 
hearted petitions,  and  how  they  must  grieve  the  dear  Father 
above !  But  what  a  good  Father  he  is,  so  ready  to  forgive 
his  erring  children,  so  ready  to  receive  them  in  his  arms  when 
they  fly  to  him  sin-sick  and  weary  and  so  lovingly  guiding 
their  steps  in  the  path  of  right.  I  love  this  Father,  but  I  want, 
I  long  to  love  him  more,  more,  and  oh,  1  want  to  grow  more 
like  him.    I  am  so  weak  and  selfish.    I  despise  myself. 

January  28.  That  poor  little  baby  of  whom  we  took  such 
care  and  on  whom  we  all  spent  so  much  time  and  strength  is 
dead.  It  died  very  suddenly  and,  at  first,  we  were  so  sorry 
for  the  stricken  mother  and  grandmother.  Afterwards  we 
felt  they  deserved  the  blow,  for  in  spite  of  all  Doctor  Faye 
said  and  of  all  our  pleading,  they  took  it  to  a  native  doctor, 
gave  it  native  medicine  and  actually  had  the  poor  child  burned 
in  three  places  on  its  forehead. 

January  29.  We  went  through  an  important  event  to-day. 
We  were  all  vaccinated,  on  the  veranda,  with  the  calf  right 
before  our  eyes.  It  was  a  novel  experience,  but  I  expect  it 
will  be  still  more  novel  when  the  fever  sets  in.  The  govern- 
ment is  making  the  matriculation  examination  harder  and 
harder  each  year.  Ah  me  !  where  will  1  be  next  year,  I  won- 
der? I  am  doing  my  very  best  to  study  up,  but  find  it  very 
hard  work  with  all  that  I  have  on  hand  to  do.  The  days  are 
getting  awfully  hot  too,  for  me,  but  mother  says  this  isn't 
anything  to  what  it  will  be  later  on. 

We  have  quoted  rather  freely  from  the  diary  for 
42 


Ube  IReturn  to  UnMa 


January,  because  we  wished  to  show  how  there  is 
something  all  the  time,  coming  up  in  a  mission 
compound,  outside  of  the  regular  routine  work. 
Though  Annie  had  been  but  one  month  in  Nellore 
and  had  no  special  work  to  do,  yet  we  find  her 
busy,  helping  here  and  there,  and  moaning  over 
the  little  time  there  was  to  do  the  many  things 
needing  attention. 

Many  good  people  at  home  have  strange  ideas 
concerning  the  work  done  by  the  missionaries. 
**  Is  it  true  that  the  missionaries  sit  all  day  long 
under  the  shade  of  a  palm  tree?"  was  a  real 
question  asked  by  one  anxious  for  information. 
She  only  needed  to  see  a  palm  tree,  with  its  crown 
of  foliage  far  above  the  earth,  to  realize  that  there 
was  no  shade  there,  even  if  any  one  had  time  to 
sit  out  in  the  heat,  courting  a  sunstroke.  We  see 
by  Annie's  account  that  even  in  January  the  heat 
affected  one  who  had  not  become  used  to  it.  If 
the  cavilers  at  home  could  only  come  and  spend 
some  time,  as  the  Clintons  did  in  the  "Bishop's 
Conversion,"  they  would  soon  see  the  difference 
between  life  at  home  and  that  in  the  tropics,  and 
modify  many  of  their  erroneous  ideas. 


43 


CHAPTER  V 

WORK    AND    PI^AY 

But  not  to-day.     Then  be  content,  poor  heart ; 

God's  plans,  like  lilies  pure  and  white,  unfold, 
We  must  not  tear  the  close-shut  leaves  apart — 

Time  will  reveal  the  calyxes  of  gold, 
And  if,  through  patient  toil,  we  reach  the  land 

Where  tired  feet,  with  sandals  loose,  may  rest. 
When  we  shall  clearly  know  and  understand, 

I  think  that  we  shall  say  that  "  God  knew  best." 


^E  quote  again  from  Annie's  diary  as 
A  better  than  any  description  of  ours 
J  it  tells  of  her  busy  young  life : 

^  February  lo,  1894.  In  camp.  1  came  out 
here  this  morning,  arriving  in  time  for  breakfast.  Early  in 
the  evening  we  went  out  to  a  village  near  here,  where  mother 
showed  her  magic  lantern  views  to  quite  a  large  audience.  The 
people  were  very  much  delighted  with  the  story  of  the  "  Prodi- 
gal Son."  Besides  this,  we  showed  Indian  views,  also  views 
of  our  compound  with  the  boys  and  girls  in  the  schools.  Then 
Pastor  Subbiah  talked  to  them  awhile  and  we  closed  with 
prayer.  During  the  prayer  the  heathen  people  made  audible 
remarks  on  us  and  the  wonderful  lamp,  which  was  rather  dis- 
tracting to  the  one  praying.  But  such  is  their  way.  Sunday 
in  camp.  It  is  so  still  here  with  only  the  song  of  birds  and 
the  melancholy  chant  of  a  hawk  wheeling  aloft,  that  one  can 
almost  hear  one's  self  think.  It  seems  to  me  I  would  like  to 
stay  in  camp  all  the  time,  it  is  so  restful ;  but  it  seems  so 
strange  this  utter  stillness.     In  tent,  even  our  voices  have  a 

44 


Mork  ant)  pla^ 


deadened  sound  as  if  we  were  in  a  rarer  atmosphere.  Tiiis  is 
just  the  time  when  my  thouj:;;hts  turn  involuntarily  to  America 
and  the  dear,  dear  friends  there. 

February  14.  We  were  all  invited  to  tea  at  the  "  Folly  " 
and  had  a  most  enjoyable  time.  Besides  ourselves  there  were 
two  others,  just  enough  to  make  a  jolly  crowd.  First  we  had 
Badminton  and  the  amount  of  fun  we  had  in  that  was  amaz- 
ing ;  Dr.  F who  couldn't  play,  Mr.  S who  made  ridic- 
ulous tosses  and  always  missed  the  ball  at  the  critical  moment. 

Miss  M and  papa  the  best  players  of  the  lot,  and  Mr. 

M who  is  so  fat  and  whenever  he  didn't  altogether  miss 

the  ball,  sent  it  waltzing  to  the  top  of  a  tree  several  yards 
outside  the  limits  of  the  court.  After  this  came  a  delicious 
tea  on  the  lawn,  after  which  we  went  into  the  house  and 
played  "  Jenkins-up"  until  time  to  go  home.  It  was  not  at 
all  stiff,  but  very  pleasant. 

February  20.  Mother  has  divided  the  schoolgirls,  giving 
me  the  first  three  standards  and  Minnie  the  others  for  calis- 
thenics. I  took  my  girls  to-day  and  had  a  tussle  with  them 
the  first  thing.  Two  of  them  would  not  do  the  head  exercise, 
so  after  fair  warning,  1  kept  them  after  the  others  had  gone. 
They  were  very  angry  with  me,  1  suppose,  but  at  any  price  I 
mean  to  have  prompt  obedience. 

February  23.  i  suppose  at  home  they  are  having  a  gala 
day  in  honor  of  the  birth  of  the  "  Father  of  his  country." 
Mother  and  father  went  out  to  camp  again  this  noon,  and 
after  they  left  I  came  up  here  and  had  a  cry,  for  my  wicked 
temper  had  mastered  me  again.  I  am  discouraged  with  my- 
self. I  do  try,  and  pray  every  day  to  overcome  it,  but  1  seem 
to  get  worse  and  worse.  What  shall  I  do?  Keep  on  trying, 
I  suppose,  until  I  succeed.  1  do  not  throw  myself  enough  on 
God's  promises  nor  trust  in  him  enough. 

More  purity  give  me,  more  trust  in  the  Lord, 

More  freedom  from  earth-stains,  more  hope  in  his  word. 

My  prayer. 

February  24.  My  trials  began  almost  as  soon  as  chota  haiiri 
(little  breakfast)  was  over  this  morning.  First  the  supplies  for 
the  schools  had  to  be  given  out  for  two  days.  Then  1  had  to  see 


Ubc  Igoung  rmtssionar^ 


to  the  garden,  but  was  called  by  a  complaint  against  the  school 
peon  by  the  matron  ;  then  came  petitions,  and  so  on  the  whole 
day  long.  1  was  ever  so  glad  when  night  came  and  1  could  rest. 

March  3.  Minnie  gave  a  picnic  to-day  to  the  school  chil- 
dren and  Dr.  Faye  to  the  Bible  women  and  teachers.  We 
started  in  the  morning  about  nine  o'clock  and  had  the  picnic 
in  a  mango  grove  about  a  mile  from  here.  It  was  a  delight- 
ful place  and  the  children  were  in  their  element.  We  played 
games  and  sang  until  it  got  too  hot,  when  we  lay  down  under 
the  tent  or  under  the  trees  and  talked,  read,  or  slept  until  dinner 
was  ready.  Oh,  that  dinner!  How  delicious  was  the  curry 
and  rice  eaten  with  the  fingers!  Then  came  games,  singing, 
and  talking  until  four  o'clock,  when  Miss  Faye  gave  a 
present  to  each  one.  If  the  people  in  America  guessed  one- 
half  the  happiness  which  their  boxes  of  little  gifts  give  to 
these  children,  their  hearts  would  overflow  in  thanksgiving. 
After  the  gifts  came  sweeties  and  after  that — home. 

March  4.  Where  does  all  the  time  go,  I  wonder?  Am  I 
growing  morbid?  I  ask  myself  time  and  time  again.  It 
seems  to  me  as  if  this  climate  was  bringing  out  all  the  worst 
traits  in  my  character  and  fight  as  I  will,  a  flood  of  morbid, 
restless  feelings  will  surge  over  me  every  once  in  a  while.  O 
God,  take  away  these  thoughts  and  make  me  as  sunny  and 
gay-hearted  as  I  was  in  the  dear  old  days.  Such  is  my  daily 
prayer,  and  I  think,  I  hope,  if  I  fight  against  the  feeling,  that 
God  in  his  infinite  mercy  will  answer  this  my  soul's  longing. 
This  life  is  indeed  a  battlefield,  a  daily  struggle. 

March  5.  It  is  getting  hotter  and  hotter  every  day.  The 
glare  of  the  sun  is  very  bad,  especially  at  noon. 

I  gaze  all  day  on  the  burning  plain, 
And  I  long,  I  long  for  the  cool  again. 

It  is  already  90°  on  the  veranda  at  3  P.  M.,  and  it  is  only 
March.  What  will  it  be  in  May  ?  We  have  such  quiet  times 
here,  very  little  to  break  the  monotony.  Every  day  full  to 
the  brim  with  work,  but  all  days  having  a  sameness  that 
makes  me  long  to  fly  away  somewhere  for  a  little  while.  It 
is  only  work  that  keeps  us  from  ennui,  I  verily  believe.  But 
in  spite  of  it  all,  it  is  a  very  pleasant  sort  of  life. 

46 


Mork  ant)  ©lay 


March  9.  Papa  has  been  reading  us  scraps  from  the 
"  Hindu,"  about  the  Parliament  of  Religions,  and  it  has  riled 
me  dreadfully.  1  wish  I  had  the  power  of  writing  or  speaking 
so  that  I  could  rouse  the  people  of  our  beloved  United  States 
and  make  them  ashamed  for  allowing  this  indignity,  this  blas- 
phemy against  Almighty  God  and  Christ  and  the  Holy  Ghost. 
My  heart  is  burning  with  anger  to  see  the  Creator  of  heaven 
and  earth  and  his  word  so  belittled  and  scoffed  at !  How  dare 
they?  How  dare  they?  And  our  country,  which  is  con- 
sidered the  most  civilized  and  enlightened  on  the  earth,  to  be 
called  by  the  Hindus,  "coarse,"  "  provincial,"  "savage"; 
our  religion,  the  purest  and  best,  ridiculed,  and  to  have  thanks 
sent  from  the  United  States  to  India  for  "  the  truths  they  have 
taught  us,^^  and  a  request  for  "  more  teachers  to  be  sent  to  enlighten 
us  !''  O  Lord,  how  long  wilt  thou  suffer  such  things?  Come 
quickly  and  make  all  things  right ! 

March  14.  1  got  an  invitation  to-day  to  the  wedding  of  one 
of  our  teachers  which  is  to  be  celebrated  to-morrow  afternoon 
in  the  church.  There  are  great  preparations  going  on.  I  had 
to  settle  a  quarrel  between  the  gardener  and  the  bridegroom. 
Instead  of  asking  the  gardener  to  get  the  cocoanut  branches 
for  him,  he  took  them  himself  and  nearly  spoiled  one  of  the 
nicest  trees,  taking  nine  branches  instead  of  three.  This  wed- 
ding is  more  trouble  than  it  is  worth,  for  in  spite  of  all  orders 
they  pulled  down  our  pretty  Rangoon  creeper,  took  all  the  ex- 
quisite purple  flowers  off  Dr.  Faye's  choice  plant,  and  all  the 
fresh  green  tips  off  our  mango  tree  which  means  just  so  many 
less  mangoes  for  us. 

Later.  The  wedding  has  come  off  and  the  bride  looked 
very  pretty  and  the  groom  very  important.  They  had  a  grand 
feast  with  fireworks  afterward.  This  is  the  first  native 
Christian  wedding  we  girls  have  seen.  At  the  end  of  the 
ceremony  we  had  wreaths  put  around  our  necks. 

March  16.  I  am  down  with  a  very  bad  sore  throat  and 
feeling  miserable  generally.  At  the  same  time  the  wedding 
was  in  progress  yesterday,  there  was  a  heathen  wedding  not 
far  from  here,  and  we  can  hear  the  music  nicely.  They 
have  a  band  hired  from  a  distance,  and  are  having  gay  times 
D  47 


trbe  BouuQ  tmtsBionari^ 


every  evening  for  eight  days.  The  bride  is  seven  and  the 
groom  twelve.  If  this  little  groom  should  die,  this  wee  girl 
would  have  her  head  shaved,  never  marry  again,  all  her  fine 
clothes  be  taken  away,  and  she  would  become  an  outcast  and 
a  drudge.  Poor  wee  lasses  of  India  !  How  I  pity  the  widows  ! 
March  i8.  This  afternoon  father  told  us  we  were  going  to 
Coonoor  in  April,  and  1  shall  be  so  glad.  That  is  where  dear 
little  Elsie  sleeps,  and  1  want  to  see  her  grave  so  much.  I 
was  in  America  when  she  died.  1  never  saw  her  after  she 
was  four  years  old,  and  missed  nearly  all  of  her  sweet  life. 
Father  says  her  grave  is  one  of  the  prettiest  spots  there.  He 
say  Coonoor  is  almost  like  Paradise. 

And  so  her  diary  goes  on,  full  of  all  that  was 
happening  around  her  and  the  many  things  in 
which  she  was  interested.  The  leaven  was  work- 
ing, she  was  beginning  to  feel  her  part  in  the  work- 
a-day  world.  She  had  her  daily  study  for  the 
examination  and  Telugu  with  the  Munshi.  She 
taught  Greek  to  Pastor  Subbiah,  music  to  her  sister 
Alice,  calisthenics  to  the  schoolgirls,  and  had 
superintending  to  do  in  the  absence  of  her  mother 
in  camp.  She  was  always  ready  to  help  when  the 
sick  were  brought  in.  She  was  full  of  sympathy 
with  all  suffering,  and  even  when  in  pain  herself, 
would  hide  it  and  devote  herself  to  any  poor  suf- 
ferer that  claimed  her  help. 

As  the  weather  grew  warmer,  and  the  girls 
seemed  to  feel  the  heat  very  much,  we  decided  to 
leave  Nellore  as  soon  as  possible.  Annie  writes, 
April  15 : 

I  took  my  Sunday-school  for  the  last  time  as  superintendent, 
48 


Morft  anD  play 


for  I  go  from  the  Hills  straight  to  Bangalore  to  school.  Our 
lesson  was  "  Discord  in  Jacob's  family,"  and  we  all  laid 
most  stress  on  the  trouble  that  comes  from  quarreling.  We 
all  know  it  from  experience,  I  am  sure.  I  think  1  sympathize 
with  a  hot-tempered  person  more  than  any  one  else  for  I  have 
so  much  trouble  with  my  own  hot  temper.  We  all  go  to  the 
Hills  on  Tuesday.     1  won't  be  sorry  to  get  out  of  this  heat. 

It  Is  a  wonderful  provision  of  nature,  that  in  the 
hottest  part  of  Southern  India,  there  are  hills  that 
tower  from  five  thousand  to  eight  thousand  five 
hundred  feet  above  the  plains,  and  afford  a  refuge 
during  the  extreme  heat. 

Coonoor,  on  the  Nllglrls  or  Blue  Hills,  is  some 
six  thousand  feet  above  sea  level,  and  there  the 
Missionary  Union  has  a  sanatorium  for  the  use  of 
the  missionaries.  It  is  beautifully  situated  on  a 
high  cliff  with  a  lovely  valley  in  front,  across  which 
is  Hoolical  Droog,  a  fortified  hill,  famous  for  being 
the  scene  of  some  of  Tippoo  Sultan's  barbarities. 

In  this  beautiful  place  Annie's  love  of  nature 
had  full  scope.  The  days  were  full  of  long  walks, 
excursions  to  various  points  of  interest,  during 
which  many  woodland  treasures  were  added  to  her 
ever-increasing  collection.  She  also  gathered 
strength  during  the  two  months'  stay  for  the  hard 
study  which  lay  before  her. 

Our    dear    friends,    Mr.    and    Mrs.    Owen,    of 

Bapatla,  were  with   us  at   Holmwood,  and  in  the 

evenings  when  the   doors  were   shut  and  curtains 

drawn,    we   had    interesting    home    concerts   with 

•  49 


Ube  Boung  fintsstonarp 


piano,  two  violins,  guitar  and  three  well-trained 
voices.  It  was  a  vacation  long  to  be  remembered 
by  all  who  enjoyed  it. 

**  I  will  look  unto  the  hills  from  whence  cometh 
my  strength,"  said  the  psalmist,  and  truly  many 
of  the  weary  workers  on  the  heated  plains  have 
gained  strength  from  these  hills. 

The  following  beautiful  poem  from  the  pen  of 
William  Gannet,  expresses  exactly  what  we  all  feel : 

God  plowed  one  day  with  an  earthquake, 

And  drove  his  furrows  deep  ! 
The  huddling  plains  up-started, 

The  hills  were  all  a-leap  ! 

He  hath  made  them  the  haunt  of  beauty, 

The  home-elect  of  his  grace  ; 
He  spreadeth  his  mornings  on  them. 

His  sunsets  light  their  face. 

His  thunders  tread  in  music 

Of  footfalls  echoing  long, 
And  carry  majestic  greeting 

Around  the  silent  throng. 

His  winds  bring  messages  to  them. 
Wild  storm-views  from  the  main  ; 

They  sing  it  down  to  the  valleys 
in  the  love-song  of  the  rain. 

Green  tribes  from  far  come  trooping, 

And  over  the  uplands  flock  ; 
He  hath  woven  the  zones  together 

As  a  robe  for  his  risen  rock. 

They  are  nurseries  for  young  rivers, 
Nests  for  his  flying  clouds, 
50  f 


Mori?  ant>  pla^^ 


Homesteads  for  newborn  races, 
Masterful,  free,  and  proud. 

The  people  of  tired  cities 

Come  up  to  their  shrines  and  pray, 
God  freshens  again  within  them. 

As  he  passes  by  all  day. 

And  lo,  1  have  caught  their  secret ! 

The  beauty  deeper  than  all ; 
This  faith— that  life's  hard  moments 

When  the  jarring  sorrows  befall, 

Are  but  God  plowing  his  mountains; 

And  those  mountains  yet  shall  be 
The  source  of  his  grace  and  freshness. 

And  his  peace  everlasting  to  me. 


51 


CHAPTER  VI 

A   CAI.I.   TO    MISSION    WORK 

Live  day  by  day, 
The  path  before  thee  does  not  lead  astray. 
Do  the  next  duty.     It  must  surely  be 
The  Christ  is  in  the  one  that's  next  to  thee. 


HE  city  of  Bangalore  is  on  a  plateau  three 
thousand  feet  above  sea  level,  in  the  na- 
tive province  of  Mysore.  It  is  a  canton- 
ment and  has,  besides  the  various  regi- 
ments quartered  there,  a  large  number  of  European 
and  Eurasian  residents.  The  climate  is  usually  good 
and  there  are  several  very  good  schools. 

It  did  not  take  Annie  long  to  find  out  that  she 
could  not  hope  to  prepare  for  a  difficult  govern- 
ment examination  amid  all  the  rush  and  worry  of 
a  mission  compound,  so  she  wisely  decided  to 
enter  the  matriculation  class  in  St.  Andrew's  High 
School  and  put  her  mind  to  study  only.  She  left 
Coonoor  June  15,  1894,  and  reached  the  city  the 
next  evening.  She  was  warmly  welcomed  by  our 
missionaries.  Doctor  and  Mrs.  MacLaurin,  who 
opened  their  home  to  her  for  the  six  months  she 
expected  to  be  in  school.  Of  the  journey  there 
Annie  writes  in  her  diary : 

=52 


B  Call  to  niMsston  limorf? 


Oh,  how  hot  it  is  on  the  tiaiii  !  After  the  hills  it  is  almost 
unbearable.  Luckily  we  got  two  compartments  for  the  night, 
though  not  without  a  fuss  with  the  station-master.  Miss 
Booker  and  1  had  a  very  good  night's  rest,  and  to-day  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Owen  joined  us  in  our  compartment,  and  with  a 
well-filled  lunch  basket,  a  dozen  or  so  of  mangoes  and  a 
spirit  lamp  to  make  tea  and  coffee,  we  are  having  a  jolly  time. 

Of  her  introduction  to  the  school  she  says : 

First  day  at  school.  It  isn't  at  all  like  what  I  expected,  but 
I  dare  say  I  shall  like  it  better  as  1  get  along.  1  suppose  I 
made  too  high  a  vision  of  it  after  my  training  in  America. 
The  lessons,  as  far  as  I  can  judge  from  such  short  acquaint- 
ance, are  very  dilYerentl\'  taught  here  from  what  they  are  at 
home.  1  just  looked  on  to-day  taking  no  part  whatever  in 
the  recitations. 

During  her  stay  in  Bangalore  she  made  many 
friends,  but  the  school  life  was  not  the  same  as  in 
America,  and  she  was  glad  when  it  was  over  and 
she  was  able  to  return  to  Nellore.  Of  her  stay 
with  them  Mrs.  MacLaurin  writes: 

1  shall  alwa\s  be  glad  we  had  Annie  in  our  home  in  Banga- 
lore. Often  have  1  said  that  1  never  knew  a  girl  of  more 
thorough,  unfailing  sweetness  of  disposition  or  more  sincerely 
a  Christian. 

And  Annie  always  looked  upon  the  home  in  Ban- 
galore as  a  second  home  to  her  and  cherished  a 
pleasant  remembrance  of  the  time  spent  there. 

After  her  return  to  Nellore,  while  waiting  for 
the  government  returns  of  the  results  of  the  exami- 
nation she  began  work  again  in  the  mission,  for  it 

53 


Ube  ISoung  /llMssionarp 


was  impossible  for  her  to  be  idle  with  so  much  to 
be  done  on  every  side. 

There  was  a  growing  feeling  in  the  family  that 
she  was  not  strong  enough  for  the  strain  of  a 
medical  course  and  when  it  turned  out  that  she  had 
failed  in  arithmetic,  which  was  a  compulsory  sub- 
ject, it  was  taken  as  an  indication  that  she  had 
better  give  up  all  thought  of  a  medical  career. 
Again  she  yielded  her  desires  in  deference  to  her 
parents'  wishes  and  did  not  try  again.  She  had, 
though,  a  decided  talent  for  teaching,  and  Miss 
Darmstadt,  who  had  taken  over  charge  of  the 
schools,  was  very  glad  to  have  her  help. 

In  1896,  Alice,  the  youngest  sister,  had  to  return 
to  America,  partly  on  account  of  her  health  and 
partly  to  resume  her  interrupted  studies.  Annie 
wrote  very  full  letters  to  her  during  the  two  years 
they  were  separated  and  extracts  from  them  shall 
tell  the  story  of  her  life  and  work. 

Nellore,  July,  1896. 

My  Dear  Alice:  I  wish  you  could  see  my  room  just 
now.  We  have  had  a  sharp  shower  and  in  less  time  than 
seemed  possible,  my  room  is  swarming  with  those  winged 
white  ants,  hundreds  of  them,  covering  table  and  walls  and 
getting  all  over  us.  I  hear  groans  from  mother's  room,  so  1 
suppose  she  is  having  a  siege  too.  Well,  even  while  1  have 
been  writing,  they  have  become  so  unbearable  that  I  must  put 
out  my  light  and  go  to  bed. 

Monday.  1  have  been  writing  "  Review  "  letters  all  morn- 
ing and  some  part  of  the  afternoon  until  I  am  sick  of  the  sight 
of  them.     My  children  in  school  were  very  naughty,  and  I 

54 


H  Call  to  /IDisston  Morft 


had  to  punish  three  of  them,  and  altogether  this  has  been  a 
horrid  day.  .  . 

Mother  says  I  must  go  to  bed  as  it  is  nearly  eleven  o'clock, 
and  1  have  to  get  up  early  to  inspect  the  boys'  dormitories  and 
look  after  their  eating  dishes.  I  spend  from  half  an  hour  to  an 
hour  every  day,  watching  them  sweep  the  dormitories,  to  see 
that  the  corners  are  all  swept  out  and  also  under  and  behind 
the  almirahs.  1  have  to  peek  through  the  almirahs  too,  for 
unless  the  boys  are  watched  they  keep  their  clothes  and 
books  in  a  disgraceful  condition.  On  Saturdays  they  mend 
their  clothes  from  three  to  six  P.  M.,  and  the  boys  like  this  as 
little  as  I  do.  1  am  sick  of  putting  on  patches  and  sewing  on 
buttons  and  shall  be  as  glad  as  they  when  the  new  clothes  come. 

Before  Alice  went  home  there  had  been  one 
break  in  the  family.  At  the  earnest  request  of 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Manley,  who  were  all  alone  in  Uday- 
agiri,  Minnie  went  there  in  1895  to  take  charge  of 
the  school  work,  and  help  in  opening  work  among 
the  secluded  women  in  the  town.  It  was  the  first 
time  the  sisters  had  been  separated  for  any  length 
of  time,  and  in  October,  1896,  Annie  went  to 
make  Minnie  a  visit,  and  while  in  Udayagiri  went 
up  on  the  hill  where  she  had  been  several  times  as 
a  child.     She  wrote  of  the  visit  to  Alice  as  follows  : 

My  Dear  Alice  :  I  had  such  a  nice  time  with  Minnie  on 
Udayagiri  Droog.  We  took  long  walks  over  the  hill  and 
roamed  over  the  old  ruined  place ;  saw  the  Musjid ;  carved 
our  names  on  the  ruined  old  mosque  that  joined  the  palace  ; 
visited  the  Rambuga  well,  where  the  thousand  steps  tired  us 
all  out;  peeped  into  the  "  Sanayasi's  Guha  "  (sacred  man's 
cave),  and  did  all  the  ruins  nearly.  We  looked  into  the 
underground  dungeon,  which  is  very  well  preserved,  but  as 
there  was  no  one  with  us  to  help  us  out,  nor  a  rope  to  let  us 

55 


Ubc  igouna  /IDtsstonarp 


down,  we  decided  not  to  attempt  more  than  a  look.  I  took  a 
sketch  of  the  Musjid,  which  mother  says  is  the  best  thing  I 
have  done  yet.  I  brought  home  such  a  lot  of  "trash,"  as 
Minnie  calls  it :  a  stone  cannon  ball,  which  makes  a  very 
picturesque  paper  weight ;  an  antique  coin,  several  hundreds 
of  years  old,  we  think  by  the  superscription  ;  a  number  of 
specimens  of  rocks,  of  ferns  and  mosses,  of  butterflies,  and  one 
large  water  creature  which  the  natives  call  a  "  water  scor- 
pion," though  it  looks  more  like  a  beetle.  It  is  three  or  four 
inches  long,  and  is  a  very  curious  as  well  as  vicious  looking 
"  animile."  I  have  him  in  a  glass  bottle  of  spirits  where  he 
makes  a  very  tine  sliow.  But  my  best  loved  pet  is  a  big 
green  chameleon,  ten  or  twelve  inches  long  from  its  ugly  little 
nose  to  the  tip  of  its  strong  curling  tail.  Its  eyes  turn  every 
way,  and  the  curious  part  is  when  one  eye  turns  to  the  front, 
the  other  turns  backward.  The  feet  are  very  funny,  in  two 
parts  (like  a  mitten  with  only  the  thumb  separate),  with  two 
sharp  nails  on  one  part  and  three  on  the  other.  All  down  its 
backbone  and  also  underneath,  along  its  chin  and  stomach, 
is  a  row  of  what  looks  like  saw-teeth.  It  changes  a  great 
many  different  shades  of  green,  yellow,  and  reddish  brown, 
and  sometimes  almost  black.  We  feed  it  by  putting  a  live 
grasshopper  into  its  mouth,  and  give  it  water  to  drink  in  the 
same  way.  it  likes  to  climb  everywhere,  but  likes  best  to  be 
either  on  the  foot  of  my  bed  or  on  my  head,  where  it  will  sit 
a  long  time  perfectly  motionless,  except  for  the  rolling  of  its 
eyes.  It  is  so  awkward  and  comical  when  walking  that  it 
sends  us  into  fits  of  laughter.  It  gets  very  angry  when  taken 
up,  especially  when  it  is  making  for  some  tree  in  the  garden, 
opening  its  mouth,  hissing  and  spitting  like  a  cat.  When  it 
is  angry  its  tail  curls  up  into  a  tight  little  roll,  and  when  it  is 
happy  the  tail  sticks  straight  out  behind  or  waves  triumph- 
antly in  the  air.  It  holds  on  by  its  tail  too,  like  a  monkey. 
It  spends  most  of  the  day  on  my  shoulder  or  head,  and  at 
night  sleeps  in  a  little  box  with  a  wire  top. 

October  25,  1896. 
My  Dear  Alice  :    Yesterdav  the  teachers,  Minnie,  Mui 

56' 


H  Call  to  /IDtssion  Work 


riah,  and  Jessie,  gave  all  the  missionaries  a  feast  of  delicious 
curry  and  rice,  real  hot,  and  after  that,  puppoo,  peanuts,  cassia 
nuts,  cocoanuts,  and  custard  apples.  It  was  so  comical  to  see 
the  dignified  missionaries  sitting  cross-legged  on  mats,  eating 
with  their  hands,  trying  to  eat  curry  and  rice  as  gracefully 
and  as  easily  as  the  natives  do,  but  failing  woefully.  Mr. 
Levering  is  so  tall  he  couldn't  sit  on  the  floor  with  any  com- 
fort, so  he  had  a  little  footstool  provided  for  him  which 
perched  him  up  so  high  above  his  leaf  plate  as  to  be  even 
more  comical.  Poor  Miss  Wayte  nearly  choked  over  the  hot 
curry,  it  was  hot  enough  to  bring  tears  to  the  eyes  of  the 
rest  of  us,  but  we  enjoyed  it  immensely,  especially  Miss 
Darmstadt  and  myself. 

November  15.  We  have  had  a  beautiful  heavy  rain  all  day 
to-day.     it  really  looks  as  if  it  is  a  genuine  monsoon  rain  at 

last.     It  is  still  raining  this  evening,  and  Miss  D and  1 

are  very  cosy  in  the  drawing-room  writing  letters.  There 
is  a  song  we  used  to  sing  when  at  school,  about  the  spring- 
time.    One  couplet  goes : 

The  frogs  begin  to  ripple 
A  music  soft  and  sweet. 

The  frogs  are  "rippling"  in  fine  style  to-night,  but  the 
"music"  is  neither  "soft"  nor  "sweet."  It  sounds  as  if 
this  whole  compound  of  eight  acres  was  one  mass  of  war- 
bling frogs.  They  even  drown,  to  a  great  extent,  the  bark- 
ing and  yelping  of  a  Pariah  dog  in  the  Pallem. 

1  have  another  pet,  Alice,  a  big  green  caterpillar,  about  four 
inches  long  and  as  thick  as  my  thumb.  1  put  him  into  a  bot- 
tle with  some  Rangoon  creeper  leaves  and  he  has  spun  for 
himself  the  daintiest  of  silk  cocoons  and  has  now  gone  to 
sleep  for  some  months.  I  watched  him  spin  and  I  declare  he 
is  a  wonderful  cradle  maker.  My  Oosarilli  (chameleon)  is 
thriving  and  is  getting  lazier  every  day,  because  he  don't 
have  to  hunt  for  his  food,  but  every  day,  about  one  o'clock, 
all  he  has  to  do  is  to  open  his  Kentucky  Mammoth  Cave  of  a 
mouth,  and  in  pop  from  three  to  six  "  hoppergrasses."  Miss 
D is  almost  as  fond  of  him  as  I  am.     He  is  a  dear  little 

57 


Ube  13ouna  /nMsstonar^ 


chappie,  though  as  far  as  his  face  is  concerned,  he  is  as  ugly 
— as  ugly  as  blue  mud. 

November  23.  Only  a  scrap  of  a  letter,  my  dear  Alice, 
just  to  send  over  the  blue  waters,  a  kiss,  my  love,  and  many, 
many  good  wishes  for  a  most  delightful  Christmas,  also  a 
little  picture  which  I  hope  will  add  brightness  to  your  room 
and  remind  you  of  hidia. 

1  fancy  there  is  not  another  soul  who  is  awake  while  I  am 
writing  this.  Oosarilli  is  fast  asleep  in  his  box  by  the 
door  and  a  number  of  bats  form  my  sole  company.  I  am 
always  afraid  to  shake  my  bed  for  fear  of  rousing  those  that 
are  hanging  from  the  springs  underneath.  Every  night  there 
is  a  hard  fight  in  the  bathroom  and  in  the  morning  I  find  the 
floor  strewn  with  feet,  wings,  and  scraps  of  fur.  I  have  to 
be  careful  lest  1  find  a  luckless  bat  has  fallen  into  the  pitcher 
or  taken  a  header  into  my  tooth  water.  Mosquitoes  are  also 
here,  little  ones  with  such  a  thin  piping  ke-e-e,  that  I  get  very 
wrathy  and  make  furious  slashes  at  them.  The  older,  deeper, 
more  sedately  singing  ones  I  don't  mind  so  much.  Eucalyptus 
oil,  well  rubbed  on,  is  my  antidote. 

February  7,  1897. 
My  Dear  Alice.  1  am  enclosing  a  letter  from  my  boy 
Joseph.  He  took  a  great  deal  of  pains  writing  it  in  English 
and  I  wish  you  would  write  him  a  little  note  in  return.  I  have 
adopted  him  as  my  boy.  I  am  paying  his  expenses  in  school 
and  1  will  give  him  lower  secondary  training  as  a  teacher. 
After  that,  if  he  chooses  to  study  more  and  is  willing  to  help 
himself,  I  am  going  to  help  him  in  his  studies  further.  There 
are  three  boys  in  the  school  that  I  am  very  fond  of,  John, 

Joseph,  and  Moses.     Miss  D has  put  me  as  a  sort  of  head 

over  the  boys,  and  they  now  look  on  me  as  their  own  special 
property.  They  always  come  to  me  with  their  woes,  griev- 
ances, quarrels,  and  requests,  which  are  sometimes  rather 
hard  to  settle.  Out  of  the  fifty-eight  boys  sent  up  for  exami- 
nation, only  three  failed,  two  of  them  being  outside  boys. 
Wasn't  that  good  ?  Miss  D is  now  teaching  English  prose 

58 


H  Call  to  /HMsston  mox\{ 


in  the  boys'  school  and  I  am  teaching  them  poetry.  Both 
schools  have  drawing  and  singing  from  the  third  class  up. 
Every  Saturday  evening,  John,  Moses,  and  Joseph  come 
over  to  the  bungalow  and  1  teach  them  violin  and  mandolin. 

it  is  so  hot  here  at  one  o'clock  !  Everything  has  a  drowsy, 
tired  look.  Even  the  butterflies  seem  oppressed.  As  for  me, 
I  am  slowly  melting  and  in  a  couple  of  hours  will  be  little 
more  than  a  grease  spot.  I  have  a  class  at  two-thirty  and 
have  to  dress,  so  this  letter  will  not  be  very  long  this  week. 

Miss  D and  I  are  very  much  interested  in  a  Shudra  boy 

who  is  studying  in  the  sixth  standard.  He  is  just  as  nice  as 
he  can  be  in  school.  He  seems  much  interested  in  Chris- 
tianity, we  hope  he  will  be  a  Christian  soon.  He  is  in  my  class 
in  Sunday-school  and  always  has  his  lesson.  I  gave  him 
your  little  black  Bible  to  study  from.  I  have  also  given  him 
a  Telugu  hymn  book  and  Bible. 

We  have  another  caste  boy  in  the  sixth  class — Rama-Row, 
a  Brahmin.  He  is  a  nice  little  chap  now,  though  at  first  he 
was  inclined  to  be  impertinent  to  the  teachers.  He  was  a 
bigoted  little  Hindu,  refused  to  go  into  the  school  Bible  class, 
and  laughed  in  prayer  time.  Now  he  is  in  my  Sunday-school 
class  and  is  at  least  respectful  in  prayers.  He  came  into 
the  drawing-room,  Saturday  while  I  was  playing  the  piano 
and  seemed  so  curious  about  it.  I  set  the  music  box  going  and 
showed  him  how  it  worked.    He  thought  it  was  wonderful. 

Now  I  must  close.  I  have  a  splitting  headache  and  should 
lie  down,  but  there  are  so  many  things  I  ought  to  do,  I  hardly 
know  which  to  choose,  but  I  suppose  a  letter  to  Mrs.  Safford 
is  the  most  important  as  it  is  about  the  boys. 

October  ii,  i8q7- 
I  fear  this  will  not  be  much  of  a  letter  as  I  am  pretty  tired 
to-night.    I  am  in  study  hour  with  the  boys.    It  is  a  pity  they 
cannot  be  trusted  to  get  their  lessons  without  having  to  be 

w^atched,  but  boys  will  be  boys,  1  suppose.     Miss  D was 

away  for  over  a  month  and  I  had  a  jolly  time  as  "  head  of 
the  heap,"  over  at  the  school.  The  matron  and  I  had  no  end 
of  trouble  with  sick  children,  thirty  sick  at  one  time,  but 

59 


XTbe  ^onm  /nMsstonati^ 


otherwise  everything  went  smoothly.  One  or  two  or  the  girls 
have  been  trying  to  get  "fits,"  but  it  does  not  work  at  all. 
All  the  comfort  they  get  is  a  tincup  full  of  water  in  their  faces 
and  if  that  does  not  bring  relief,  then  a  warning  that  father 
will  be  called  over  works  like  a  charm. 

We  have  a  dear  lad  here  called  Judda  Solomon.  He  is  from 
Udayagiri.  About  a  year  and  a  half  ago  he  only  knew  his 
letters  in  English.  Since  then  he  has  studied  up  four  years' 
lessons  in  English  and  is  now  studying  algebra,  arithmetic, 
history,  geometry,  and  hygiene,  all  in  English.  Ask  Professor 
Philips  if  that  is  not  pretty  fair  for  a  lad  of  sixteen  and  a 
Madaga  (chuckler)  at  that.?  He  is  a  dear  little  chap  and  we 
all  love  him  dearly. 

In  November  of  this  year  a  great  shock  came 
to  the  Nellore  family  when  the  head  of  the  house 
was  bitten  by  a  mad  dog  and  was  ordered  at  once 
to  Paris  for  treatment  at  the  Pasteur  Institute. 
Minnie  had  come  from  Udayagiri  to  be  present  at 
her  parents'  silver  wedding  celebration,  but  all  joy 
was  swallowed  up  in  the  sudden  trouble  that  came 
just  before  the  expected  day.  The  girls  behaved 
beautifully,  keeping  up  their  spirits  so  their  father 
would  not  feel  badly  for  them,  and  helped  to  get 
the  travelers  ready  for  the  hurried  journey.  Annie 
wrote  to  Alice  under  date  of  November  29 : 

My  Dear  Alice.  Only  a  few  lines  to  let  you  know  we 
are  well  and  that  I  intend  writing  to  you  every  week  while 
mother  and  father  are  away.  Mother  wrote  you  all  about 
father's  bite,  did  she  not?  Now  you  must  not  worry,  little 
girlie  ;  father  will  be  all  right,  I  am  sure.  They  are  doing  just 
the  best  thing  possible,  as  far  as  we  can  see,  by  going  to 
Paris,  and  will  return  very  soon.  Meanwhile  we  will  pray 
60 


H  Call  to  /IDtsston  TKIlorft 


for  him  and  at  the  same  time  do  our  work  faithfully  and  as 
well  as  possible,  just  as  he  would  like  us  to  do — will  we  not? 
Minnie  runs  the  house  and  makes  a  capital  housekeeper.  Mr. 
Levering  takes  father's  place  as  treasurer, /)ro  tern.,  and  Miss 

D and  1  run  the  schools  as  usual.    Minnie  has  the  zenana 

work  also.  We  are  having  a  very  busy  time  as  the  exami- 
nations are  near. 

Twenty-two  of  our  boys  have  taken  a  pledge  neither  to 
use  intoxicating  drinks  nor  tobacco  in  any  form.  I  am 
making  out  some  pretty  pledge  cards  for  them  in  Telugu, 
printing  a  spray  of  flowers  on  each. 

This  is  the  coldest  "  cool  season  "  we  have  had  in  Nellore. 
The  temperature  was  down  to  64°  this  morning.  Christmas 
won't  be  Christmas  with  all  the  home  folks  away,  but  we  are 
going  to  make  the  best  of  it. 


61 


CHAPTER  VII 

THE    RETURN    TO   AMERICA 

Pass  out — pass  over  the  threshold,  love, 
Straight  as  the  south-bound  swallow. 

Each  soul  has  its  star-path  fixed  above, 
Where  none — ah,  none  may  follow. 

Go  swiftly,  strongly  to  find  thy  fate  ! 

'Tis  love  that  sends  thee,  and  love  can  wait. 

S  the  months  passed,  Annie  became 
more  and  more  interested  in  her  work. 
She  taught  five  hours  a  day  in  the 
schools,  and  often  had  the  pupil  teach- 
ers come  to  her  for  object-lessons  that  she  prepared 
in  her  own  time.  Besides  all  the  routine  work,  in 
the  three  years,  she  passed  three  examinations  in 
Telugu  and  read  a  year  in  Sanskrit. 

There  could  be  but  one  ending  to  all  this,  her 
health  became  seriously  impaired,  and  a  nervous 
shock  she  received  early  in  1899,  decided  the  ques- 
tion of  her  immediate  return  to  America. 

The  school  children,  as  well  as  the  native  Chris- 
tians, felt  badly  at  the  prospect  of  losing  one  who 
was  not  only  a  loving  teacher,  but  also  a  sympa- 
thetic friend.  She  had  three  farewell  addresses 
presented  to  her  which  we  quote  in  full,  as  much 

62 


XTbe  IReturn  to  Hmerica 


for   the   quaint  wording  as    for   the   spirit  of   love 
and  regret  that  animates  them : 

TO  MISS  A.  K.  DOWNIE. 

Dear  Madam  :  We,  the  scholars  of  American  Baptist 
Mission  Lower  Secondary  Boys'  School,  have  assembled  here 
to  bid  you  farewell  on  the  eve  of  your  departure  from  our 
midst.  Glad  as  we  are  that  such  an  opportunity  has  come  to 
us  for  expressing  our  sense  of  love  and  gratitude  to  you,  we 
regret  greatly  that,  on  the  same  occasion,  we  have  also  to  ex- 
press our  feelings  of  sorrow  at  the  painful  separation. 

Nearly  three  years  have  elapsed  since  you  came  to  this 
school,  to  join  the  teaching  staff  of  this  institution,  and  the 
confidence  and  affection  which  during  that  comparatively 
short  period  you  have  worked  in  us,  cannot,  on  the  occasion 
of  your  departure,  allow  us  to  express  the  feelings  of  gratitude 
that  we  cherish  toward  you.  Your  unwavering  kindness,  re- 
gard, and  impartiality,  your  readiness  to  help  and  advise, 
your  sympathy  and  goodness  of  heart,  have  engendered  in  us 
a  feeling  of  love  and  respect  for  you,  and  it  is  needless  to  men- 
tion what  a  source  of  pleasure  it  has  been  to  us,  day  by  day, 
to  sit  at  your  feet  and  listen  to  those  highly  instructive  and 
interesting  lessons,  to  those  weighty  thoughts  and  wise  re- 
flections that  you  always  conveyed  to  our  minds.  By  your 
kindness  we  learned  English,  drawing,  and  other  divine 
songs.  Therefore  we  offer  heartfelt  thanks  to  you.  You 
were  a  type  of  moral  courage  and  moral  principles. 

In  conclusion  we  request  you  to  accept  this  as  a  token  of 
our  esteem  and  regard  for  you.  And  may  God  grant  you  a 
safe  and  happy  journey,  and  that  there  may  be  much  happi- 
ness and  prosperity  in  store  for  you. 

Yours  obediently. 
The  Scholars  of  A.  B.  Mission  Schools,  Nellore. 

March  2,  189^),  Nellore. 

TO  MISS  A.  K.  DOWNIE,  Assistant  Superintendent  A.  B.  Mis- 
sion Training  and  Girls'  Schools,  Nellore. 
Most  Respected  LADY:  We,  the  students  of  the  A.  B. 

63 


XTbe  ^oxxm  /nM80ionar^ 


Mission  Training  School  for  mistresses,  and  the  pupils  of  A. 
B.  Mission  Girls'  Lower  Secondary  School,  Nellore,  beg  your 
ladyship  to  accept  this  address  of  a  few  lines,  which  express 
our  love  and  gratitude  towards  you  on  the  eve  of  your  de- 
parture for  America. 

You  took  charge  of  assistant  superintendentship  in  the 
year  1895.  Ever  since  then  your  heart  and  soul  have  been 
devoted  to  elevate  us  both  educationally  and  evangelistically. 
We  poor  girls  owe  you  much  for  your  untiring  zeal,  patience, 
and  energy,  in  imparting  instruction  in  singing,  drawing,  cal- 
isthenics, and  kindergarten  system  of  teaching.  You  not  only 
proved  yourself  a  best  teacher,  but  you  treated  us  also  as  a 
sister  and  mother  in  our  private  matters.  Besides  this,  we 
find  in  you  a  true  missionary  in  uplifting  us,  so  that  we  might 
become  women  of  true  Christian  principles.  As  our  knowl- 
edge is  very  insignificant,  we  cannot  find  words  to  express  our 
feelings  of  love  and  gratitude.  We  sincerely  commend  you  to 
the  love  of  Jesus  Christ,  until  we  meet  again,  and  we  hope 
for  you  a  happy  voyage,  a  pleasant  stay  in  your  dear  home- 
land, and  a  happy  return  to  us.  We  beg  to  remain,  most 
respected  lady. 

Your  most  obedient  students  and  pupils  of  A.  B.  Mission 
Training  and  Girls'  Schools. 

TO  MISS  ANNIE  K.  DOWNIE. 

American  Baptist  Mission,  Nellore. 

Dear  Madam  :  We,  the  members  of  the  native  Christian 
community  of  Nellore,  avail  ourselves  of  this  opportunity  to 
express  our  testimony  to  the  sincere  appreciation  of  your  use- 
ful work  in  our  midst  during  the  last  three  years  and  a  half. 

Your  lessons  in  drawing,  chastised  by  the  wholesome  influ- 
ence of  your  character,  enabled  our  children  to  draw  the  right 
line  as  well  on  the  spiritual  tablet  within  as  on  the  paper  board 
before  them,  and  your  serene  music  as  a  chorister  of  our 
church,  has  prepared  us  to  be  ever  ready  to  listen  to  the  voice 
of  God.  As  our  Sunday-school  teacher,  you  have  palpably 
exemplified  the  untiring  exertion  of  the  membership  of  our 
Christian  Endeavor  Society. 

64 


XTbe  IReturn  to  Bmerica 


You  are  engendered  to  us,  as  one  born  in  Nellore,  and  sorry 
as  we  are  to  part  with  you,  for  however  short  a  period,  we  at 
the  same  time  tee!  immensely  happy  in  the  prospect  of  your 
early  return  to  tiie  "  Lone  Star,"  with  higher  literary  honors 
and  finer  artistic  accomplishments  embodied  on  a  superior  in- 
tellect and  invigorated  health. 

Lastly,  we  rejoice  to  record  your  sympathy,  love,  and 
courtesy,  towards  us  as  members  of  the  universal  church  of 
the  Son  of  God. 

Heartily  wishing  you  a  happy  voyage  and  a  safe  return. 
We  remain,  Dear  Madam, 

Yours  very  affectionately. 

The  Native  Christians  of  Nellore. 

There  were  five  of  our  Telugu  missionaries  who 
sailed  on  the  S .  S .  "  Egypt, ' '  from  Bombay,  on  the 
twelfth  of  March,  1899.  The  vessel  was  crowded 
and  there  were  sixty-five  children  in  the  second 
saloon,  so  that  all  were  very  uncomfortable.  In- 
fluenza broke  out  among  the  passengers  during  the 
trip,  Annie  being  among  the  victims,  and  she  was 
so  used  up  by  it,  that  she  was  in  her  room  for  a 
week  after  reaching  London.  We  were  very  thank- 
ful that  our  friends  and  co-laborers,  the  Leverings, 
were  in  the  party,  for  they  cared  for  her  faithfully 
all  the  way  to  America. 

Alluding  to  the  dreariness  of  the  journey,  Annie 
wrote : 

Docket  read  her  voyage  letter  from  mother  to  me  to-day, 
and  it  made  me  so  homesick  that  I  disgraced  myself  by  cry- 
ing. .  .  All  I  want  is  to  see  my  folks.  Thank  you  so  much 
for  the  letters  at  Marseilles,  i  carry  them  about  with  me  to 
keep  up  my  courage. 

OS 


Ube  IBouna  /llMeslonar^ 


Just  before  reaching  London  the  weather  was 
very  unpleasant.      Annie  writes  : 

I  shall  be  so  glad  to  get  off  this  ship,  1  am  not  in  love  with 
it.  I  suppose  I  am  looking  at  everything  tlirough  blue  glasses 
on  account  of  my  miserable  cold.  1  am  the  only  one  of  our 
party  that  is  up  to-night.  All  the  others,  one  after  the  other 
decided  that  their  cabins  are  the  best  places  for  the  present. 
Only  nine  ladies  appeared  at  supper.  At  my  table  there  were 
only  myself  and  a  gentleman  who  took  his  wife's  place.  The 
boat  is  pitching  and  rolling,  and  going  every  which  way, 
which  the  people  say  is  very  unkind.  One  gentleman  came 
on  deck,  and  seeing  the  rows  and  rows  of  empty  chairs,  and 
the  languid  occupants  of  the  few  that  were  occupied,  struck 
an  attitude,  and  in  a  very  tearful  voice  said  :  "  How  are  the 
mighty  fallen  !  "  .  .  .  1  had  a  real  jolly  time  walking  up  and 
down  the  deck  with  another  girl  who  is  as  "fit"  as  I  am. 

March  22.  It  is  bitter  cold  upstairs,  we  can  only  keep  warm 
by  walking,  and  I  am  so  tired  this  morning  I  can't  walk  much. 
1  was  kept  awake  half  the  night  by  a  baby  in  the  next  cabin, 
screaming  with  the  earache. 

The  longest  journey  must  have  an  ending,  and 
so  London  was  reached  at  last.  Of  their  joy  at 
being  on  shore,  she  says : 

It  seems  so  good  to  get  out  of  the  ship  and  be  on  terra  firma 
again.  One  gets  so  tired  of  ship  sights,  sounds,  and  smells. 
I  got  so  sick  of  the  smell,  the  indescribable  ship  smell,  before 
we  got  off.  At  the  docks  we  had  to  wait  for  another  steamer 
to  go  in  ahead  of  us.  There  was  a  crowd  of  people  on  shore 
waiting  for  our  ship.  They  had  been  there  four  hours,  and  it 
took  us  nearly  two  hours  to  get  into  the  dock.  It  was  a 
weary  wait. 

Annie's  letters  written  on  the  way  and  while  in 
66 


ITbe  IRetutn  to  Hmertca 


London,  were  full  of  interest.     We  append  a  de- 
scription of  Westminster  Abbey : 

When  we  went  into  the  abbey  there  was  a  service,  so  we 
waited  until  it  was  finished,  and  then  1  waited  still  longer  to 
hear  the  organ  voluntary.  Oh,  it  was  grand  !  The  music 
began  very  softly,  just  a  breath,  as  if  afraid  to  disturb  the 
silence  of  the  old  abbey  and  the  dead  lying  there.  Then  it 
gradually  swelled  until  the  volume  of  sound  filled  the  whole 
place,  the  treble  soaring  higher  and  ever  higher  and  the  thun- 
der of  the  bass  echoing  and  re-echoing  from  transept  to  tran- 
sept. Suddenly,  with  one  magnificent  chord,  the  music 
stopped,  and  the  silence  which  followed  was  awesome  in  its 
intensity.  This  organ  is  called  the  "Celestial  Organ,"  and 
I  think  it  well  named. 

We  didn't  go  into  the  chapel  of  Henry  Vll.,  but  went  first  to 
the  Poets'  Corner  where  1  had  my  little  hero-worship  over  the 
monument  of  Longfellow.  Lord  Tennyson  is  buried  next  to 
Browning,  not  very  far  from  where  Longfellow's  bust  stands. 

The  old  friends  1  particularly  noticed  were,  rare  Ben  Jonson, 
Milton,  Spenser,  tomb  of  Geoffrey  Chaucer,  Dryden,  Shakes- 
peare, Scott,  and  the  monument  to  Handel.  Have  you  ever 
noticed  that?  Handel  is  represented  holding  the  manuscript 
of  the  "  Messiah,"  and  1  could  plainly  read  the  words  with 
the  music,  "  1  know  that  my  Redeemer  liveth,"  etc.  The 
onlv  other  busts  1  remember  at  all  are  the  ones  of  Matthew 
Arnold  and  Charles  Kingsley,  in  the  baptistery  at  the  end  of 
the  south  aisle  of  the  nave.  Oh,  yes,  there  was  a  tablet  to 
John  and  Charles  Wesley  in  the  south  aisle  which  surprised 
me  a  bit.  Above  was  a  medallion  portrait  of  the  two  men 
and  below  that  a  bas-relief  representing  John  Wesley  preach- 
ing to  a  crowd  of  people  in  the  open  air,  and  the  words,  "  The 
world  is  my  parish."  As  you  turn  down  the  north  transept 
to  go  out,  you  may  see  an  insignificant  white  slab  set  into  the 
floor  of  the  aisle,  walked  on  by  all  who  come  in  or  go  out,  a 
slab  perhaps  three  feet  square,  with  the  simple  inscription, 
"  W.  E.  Gladstone,"  and  the  dates  of  his  birth  and  death. 
1  was  rather  sorry  nothing  was  said  about  the  man,  as  on 


67 


Ubc  3ffoung  /iDlsstonar^ 


some  of  the  other  monuments,  and  that  there  was  no  bust  of 
him  ;  but  perhaps  this  very  simplicity  is  the  best  tribute  to 
his  memory,  just  as  if  the  name  was  sufficient  and  there  was 
no  need  of  any  other  words. 

After  some  little  time  in  London,  the  party- 
sailed  from  Southampton  and  reached  New  York 
early  in  May.     Of  this  last  voyage  Annie  wrote : 

I  never  had  such  a  dread  of  going  on  the  sea  before,  as  1  have 
this  time.  As  1  look  forward  it  seems  as  if  I  could  not  possibly 
stand  even  seven  days  of  it.  isn't  it  strange.?  Docket  says 
1  am  over-tired.  1  don't  know  what  it  is,  but  although  there 
is  most  beautiful  moonlight,  and  the  sea  is  as  smooth  as  glass 
almost,  yet  1  cannot  bear  even  to  look  at  it.  Your  good  sailor 
daughter  is  growing  chicken-hearted,  1  am  afraid. 

Later  on  she  writes : 

You  mustn't  think  because  1  write  so  matter-of-factly  and 
cheerfully,  that  I  am  forgetting  India  and  you  all.  I  long,  oh, 
so  inexpressibly  to  see  you  and  to  be  with  you  again,  it 
seems  sometimes  as  if  i  could  not  bear  it,  but  must  go  back. 
But  father  said  I  must  be  brave  and  enjoy  my  vacation,  and 
so  I  am  trying  very  hard  and  I  am  going  to  get  well  and 
strong  very  soon,  so  i  can  come  out  all  the  sooner.  That  is 
why  i  am  eating  so  much  ham  and  bacon.  Five  days  more 
and  i  will  be  twenty-four.  Just  think  of  it,  folkses  dear  !  1 
can  hardly  realize  it  myself,  i  am  taken  on  board  for  eighteen. 
One  lady  calls  me  "little  soldier."  Why  do  people  always 
use  that  ridiculous  adjective  "little,"  in  speaking  of  me? 
"Little  Lady,"  "Little  Girl,"  "Little  Friend,"  and  now  to 
cap  the  climax,  "Little  Soldier."  Well,  i  can  only  hope  to 
get  big  sometime  in  the  near  future. 

After  reaching  America,  it  did  not  take  her 
long    to    join    her    sister   Alice   who   was   waiting 

68 


Ube  IReturn  to  Btnettca 


anxiously  to  see  her.  She  spent  most  of  the  sum- 
mer in  or  near  the  lovely  town  of  West  Chester, 
where  Alice  was  at  school,  and  which  had  been 
her  school  home  before  going  to  India.  She  was 
so  nervous  and  miserable  when  she  first  reached 
there,  that  our  dear  friends.  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Jacob 
Price  took  her  right  into  their  hearts  and  home 
and  she  benefited  much  from  their  care,  from  the 
long  drives,  from  the  nourishing  food  with  plenty  of 
milk,  and  from  the  restfulness  of  the  quiet  place. 

She  afterward  visited  among  friends  and  rela- 
tives, then  went  to  Newton  Centre  in  August,  to 
spend  a  year  in  ''Hasseltine  House,"  and  take 
the  course  of  study  in  the  Newton  Theological 
Seminary,  for  she  had  decided  to  offer  herself  to 
the  Woman's  Board  to  be  sent  out  as  a  fully  ap- 
pointed missionary. 

AUF  WIEDERSEHEN 

Go  thou  thy  way  and  I  go  mine  ; 

Apart,  yet  not  afar  ; 
Only  a  thin  veil  hangs  between 

The  pathways  where  we  are. 

And  God  keep  watch  'tween  thee  and  me, 

This  is  my  prayer. 
He  looks  thy  way,  he  looketh  mine, 

And  keeps  us  near. 

Yet  God  keeps  watch  'tween  thee  and  me. 

Both  be  his  care. 
One  arm  round  me  and  one  round  thee, 

Will  keep  us  near. 

69 


CHAPTER  VIII 

A   TERM    OF    BIBLE   STUDY 

The  entrance  of  thy  word  giveth  light  ;  it  giveth  under- 
standing unto  the  simple. 

Search  the  Scriptures  ;  for  in  them  ye  think  ye  have  eternal 
life :  and  they  are  they  that  testify  of  me. 

ARLY  in  September,  1899,  Annie  en- 
tered Hasseltine  House  and  began 
study  in  the  seminary  on  the  hill.  She 
found  the  home  the  Woman's  Board 
had  prepared  for  young  ladies  desirous  of  entering 
the  foreign  field,  a  very  pleasant  place.  The  stu- 
dents are  under  the  care  of  Mrs.  George,  formerly 
a  missionary  in  Burma.  She  is  peculiarly  fitted  to 
lead  those  in  her  charge  and  to  help  the  Board  to 
decide  as  to  the  fitness  of  the  candidates.  Annie's 
letters  tell  the  story  of  her  work  and  pleasures  dur- 
ing the  year. 

September  5,  iSgg. 
MY  Dear  Folks:  I  am  in  Newton  Centre  at  last,  where 
1  hope  i  can  stay  at  least  until  I  get  thoroughly  rested.  I  am 
tired  of  wandering  to  and  fro,  living  in  my  trunks.  It  seems 
so  nice  to  look  around  a  room  and  say,  "  This  is  my  dominion 
for  a  year,  my  sanctum,  my  kingdom."  I  have  the  Pittsfield 
room,  it  is  a  little  room  between  Mrs.  George  and  Mrs. 
Waterbury.  It  has  two  windows,  one  to  the  south  and  one 
to  the  west,  and  overlooks  the  hill.    The  paper  is  a  dull  goldy 

70 


H  ITerm  ot  Bible  Stubs 


color  with  dashes  of  gray-bkie,  the  design  being  ascension 
lilies.  It  gives  a  bright,  soft  light  to  the  whole  room  and  con- 
trasts pleasantly  with  the  light,  yellow-brown  furniture.  .  . 

September  6.     Mrs.  George  takes  Miss  P and  me  to  the 

seminary  to-morrow  to  enter  us.  1  went  to  the  farewell  re- 
ception given  by  the  church  to  their  pastor,  Mr.  MuUins,  and 
what  a  pleasant  time  1  did  have  seeing  all  the  old  friends. 
They  all  welcomed  me  back  so  kindly.  Mrs.  George  is  ar- 
ranging the  schedule  for  us  ;  w'e  will  probably  begin  real  work 
Monday  next. 

September  15.  Motiier's  letter  came  as  a  ray  of  sunshine 
to  me  this  morning,  and  I  consider  it  as  a  reward  for  all  my 
hard  study  to-day.  Since  11  A.  M.  I  have  made  a  digest  of 
all  the  non-Christian  evangelical  sources  to  the  Life  of  Christ, 
copying  quotations  on  the  subject  by  Josephus,  Tacitus,  Sue- 
tonius, and  Pliny  ;  read  through  Acts,  the  Catholic  Epistles, 
and  Revelation,  selecting  all  texts  bearing  on  evidence  that 
Christ  really  lived,  classifying  these  texts  under  heads,  such 
as  "  The  Witness  of  John,"  "The  Witness  of  Peter,"  etc. 
Don't  you  think  I  deserve  a  reward  like  mother's  letter?  I  am 
in  love  with  all  my  studies.  Theology  under  Doctor  Wood, 
Jeremiah  under  Professor  Brown,  English  New  Testament  un- 
der Doctor  Hovey,  and  Life  of  Christ  with  Professor  Rhees. 
I  don't  know  what  my  electives  are  to  be,  but  I  think  "  His- 
tory of  Missions,"  "  Biblical  Geography,"  and  "  History  of 
the  Atonement."  It  seems  to  me  now  that  heretofore  I  have 
known  hardly  anything  about  the  Bible.  I  am  so  thankful  1 
can  be  here  for  study. 

We  are  now  in  the  midst  of  the  equinoctial  gales,  and  oh, 
how  it  rained  yesterday  and  to-day  !  At  first,  Mrs.  George 
said  we  could  not  go  to  lectures,  but  we  dressed  up  so  well  in 
short  skirts,  arctics,  gaiters,  rubbers,  and  mackintoshes,  that 
she  finally  gave  in,  and  off  we  trudged. 

September  24.  I  have  such  a  heap  of  good  things  to  tell 
you  this  week  about  sermons  and  lectures.  As  I  wrote  in  my 
last  letter,  we  went  into  Boston  to  hear  Principal  Fairbairn,  of 
Oxford,  on  "The  Influence  of  the  Study  of  other  Religions 
Upon  Christian  Theology,"  but  we  had  to  leave  before  he 

71 


Ube  l^ouuG  tniisstonar^ 


had  well  begun.  There  were  two  others  before  him,  the  last 
of  whom,  Rev.  John  Daniel  Jones,  of  Bournemouth,  Eng- 
land, was  fine.  .  . 

He  held  the  people  spellbound  the  whole  time.  Doctor  Fair- 
bairn  praised  the  missionaries  in  hidia  very  highly,  their 
self-sacrifice,  their  sincere  devotion,  their  earnestness.  It 
did  my  heart  good  to  hear  such  hearty  words  of  commenda- 
tion and  praise  from  the  lips  of  such  a  man. 

I  have  a  nice  little  window  garden  started  in  my  room.  A 
couple  of  tiny,  though  perfect  pine  trees,  a  basket  of  partridge 
berry  vines,  a  pot  of  forget-me-nots,  and  a  pot  of  ferns. 

October  i.  It  is  eleven  o'cloci<  and  1  am  just  home  from  a 
meeting  at  Lexington  where  I  "addressed"  an  audience. 
Elinor  went  with  me  and  a  rich  time  we  had  too.  We  had  to 
wait  an  hour  in  the  North  Union  Station  and  sat  directly  back 
of  a  party  of  three,  of  which  the  gentleman  had  just  come 
over  from  Europe,  spending  two  weeks  there,  visiting  London, 
Havre,  Versailles,  and  Paris.  He  was  entertaining  the  ladies 
with  his  experiences.  Here  are  some  of  his  remarks:  "All 
Englishmen  wear  high  hats."  "  People  in  England  have 
no  frame  houses  but  build  them  of  brick  and  mortar,  con- 
sequently thev  decay  easily ^  ''  Many  of  the  houses  are 
covered  with  thatch."  "  There  are  no  day  laborers  in  France, 
so  they  all  sleep  until  twelve  o'clock."  "  English  people 
have  no  soda  fountains,  so  they  have  to  drink  beer.'"  It  was 
very  entertaining. 

October  7.  We  have  been  in  a  rush  getting  the  new  mis- 
sionaries off.  The  farewell  meeting  was  awfully  hard  for  me. 
I  thought  if  1  only  could  go  along  with  Doctor  Coats  and  be 
with  you  all.  It  seemed  almost  unbearable  to  see  them  all  go 
off  and  think  I  couldn't  go  too.  The  girls  were  all  so  brave 
and  spoke  so  well,  not  a  breakdown  among  them. 

Dr.  Caroline  Coats  writing  of  this  time,  says : 

Annie's  devoted  love  for  her  parents  and  home  friends  was 
well  shown  the  night  before  I  left  for  Nellore  when  she  sobbed 
in  my  arms  like  a  homesick  child  because  she  could  not  come 

72 


a  Xlerm  of  JSibte  Stu^^ 


too.     How  slie  was  prepared  by  that  trying  separation  for 
wliat  was  awaiting  lier ! 

October  12.  School  is  over  and  we  are  home  again.  We 
had  a  spirited  discussion  on  the  inspiration  of  the  various 
writers  of  the  Bible  and  also  on  miracles.  In  fact,  "  miracles  " 
has  been  the  principal  theme  for  several  days.  Doctor  Wood 
is  a  fine  teacher  and  is  very  cautious  on  the  theological  ques- 
tions. His  stand  is,  that  a  man  ought  to  be  very  sure  he  is  right 
before  he  expresses  a  decided  opinion.  He  says  modern  think- 
ers are  apt  to  mal\e  rash  statements  that  they  have  to  tal>:e  back 
after  a  short  time.  He  is  considered  quite  ortliodox  and  yet, 
withal,  free  when  necessary  and  fair-minded  at  all  times. 

Friday.  Our  class  has  finally  settled  the  question  of  mira- 
cles. Here  is  the  definition,  made  up,  part  by  part,  phrase  by 
phrase,  by  various  members  of  the  class  and  finally  accepted 
by  all.  "  A  miracle  is  an  event  in  the  experience  of  men,  not 
explicable  by  known  laws,  having  a  beneficent  or  moral  pur- 
pose, attesting  a  divine  message  or  messenger,  and  accom- 
plished by  the  immediate  agency  of  God." 

Doctor  Wood  believes  in  making  us  think  and  has  suc- 
ceeded in  getting  several  unique  and  interesting  ideas  from  the 
young  men.  He  wants  us  all,  as  we  go  along,  to  make  our 
own  theology,  not  accept  one  word  which  we  cannot  under- 
stand or  believe  just  because  it  is  in  the  text-book.  .  . 

Last  night  I  dressed  in  Telugu  costume  and  talked  to  the 
"  Farther  Lights  "  about  the  girls  of  India.  They  were  so 
nice  to  me  afterward,  nearly  all  came  up  to  speak  to  me.  I 
had  my  book  of  Indian  pictures  and  a  few  curios  to  show 
them  and  they  were  so  interested  in  them.  .  . 

I  have  written  a  story  for  the  King^s  Messengers.  I  took  two 
or  three  "  Christmas  iumashalii  (goings  on)  "  in  Nellore,  and 
pieced  them  together  to  make  a  Christmas  story.  I  hope  you 
will  like  it.  1  have  perhaps  added  a  wee  bit  of  fiction,  but  it 
is  founded  on  fact,  and  in  the  main  is  correct.  Mrs.  George 
likes  the  story  very  much.  .  . 

What  a  treat  I  had  this  mail  day,  extending,  in  fact,  over 
two  days.     Father's  letters  containing  the  C.  E.  photos,  yester- 

73 


Ube  ^onwQ  nntsstonar^ 


day,  also  the  two  letters  from  the  girls,  sent  by  mother,  to-day 
Minnie's  letter  and  the  two  enclosures  from  two  of  my  boys. 
Indeed  1  felt  rich,  and  every  one  basked  in  the  light  of  my 
smiles  (you  know  they  can  be  pretty  broad  sometimes),  for  1 
beam  on  every  one  for  quite  a  while  after  I  receive  your  letters. 
Not  that  I  do  not  smile  at  other  times,  you  understand,  but 
there  must  be  a  difference  of  some  sort,  for  they  all  say  im- 
mediately, "  The  Indian  mail  must  he  in.'''' 

I  am  booked  for  a  woman's  basket  meeting  in  Lowell,  a 
children's  rally  in  Providence,  and  another  meeting  in  Tremont 
Temple.  My  Telugu  costume  is  always  in  requisition,  I  find  it 
takes  better  than  anything  else.  I  like  to  speak  at  these  meet- 
ings, for  I  feel  somehow  as  if  I  were  doing  at  least  a  little  mite 
for  the  great  work  of  missions  which  I  love  so  much  ;  1  don't 
do  very  well,  but  then  it  helps  a  little  bit  anyway.  .  . 

We  have  organized  a  little  informal  student  volunteer  band 
in  the  seminary,  composed  of  seven  of  us  who  have  a  definite 
idea  in  view,  that  of  going  as  foreign  missionaries.  We  are  to 
meet  every  week  for  prayer  and  the  study  of  certain  topics  that 
will  help  us ;  to  talk  over  mission  work  very  informally  and 
get  better  acquainted  with  it ;  also,  we  are  going  to  try  and 
increase  the  interest  in  foreign  missions  in  the  institution, 
which  has  been  rather  anti-missionary  for  the  past  few  years 
they  say.  There  has  been  such  a  change  in  the  attitude  of 
the  men  this  year,  about  the  young  ladies.  Last  year  there 
was  so  little  interest  in  missions  that  the  sailing  of  the  Has- 
seltine  House  girls  was  totally  unnoticed  by  the  young  men, 
many  of  whom  did  not  even  know  they  had  sailed.  This 
year  quite  a  number  attended  the  farewell  meetings  and  also 
the  sailing,  setting  out  for  the  latter  as  early  as  six  A  M.,  with- 
out their  breakfast,  for  fear  they  would  not  be  in  time  if  they 
went  on  the  later  train.  Many  of  those  who  remained  behind 
had  a  special  service  of  prayer  for  the  out-going-missionaries 
at  nine,  the  hour  of  sailing. 

NEWTON'S   RALLYING   CALL 

The  voice  of  them  that  perish, 
Is  borne  across  the  sky, 

74 


H  Uerm  of  Bible  Stut)^ 


From  out  the  night  it  soundeth 
A  wild  and  aimless  cry  ; 

The  voice  of  brothers  dying 
Without  the  light  of  day, 

Wake  Newton  men  and  fathers 
And  send  them  there,  we  pray. 

Of  native  land  forgetful. 

And  well-loved  friends  at  home, 
Oh,  send  us  far,  our  Father 

That  so  thy  kingdom  come. 
We  seek  not  here  for  pleasure 

And  follow  not  for  fame  ; 
But  that  the  darkest  heathen 

May  know  his  Saviour's  name. 

Oh.  thou  majestic  Saviour 

In  whom  all  glories  shine. 
Baptize  the  sons  of  Newton 

With  power  of  life  divine  ; 
That  we  to  way-worn  nations 

Who  farthest  from  thee  rove. 
May  tell  of  peace  eternal. 

And  thine  own  deathless  love. 


-S.  S.  Huse. 


October  20.  Our  examinations  for  the  first  term  come  next 
week.  Monday  begins  the  "cram."  Not  much  of  a  cram 
for  me,  so  don't  worry,  for  I  don't  believe  in  using  myself  up 
with  too  much  study  the  last  days,  and  then  be  no  good  in 
the  examinations.  .  . 

I  will  finish  this  letter  this  P.  M.,  as  I  have  quite  a  little 
time  to  myself.  Doctor  Chambliss  took  for  his  text  to-day, 
"  My  eyes  have  seen  the  land  that  is  far  off,"  or,  as  he  said 
was  the  better  rendering,  "  My  eyes  have  seen  the  land  of 
far  distances."  .  . 

November  7.  Last  night  our  student  volunteer  band  went 
into  a  meeting  of  the  Boston  S.  V.  League  and  had  a  fine 
time.  First,  one  of  the  members  of  the  league,  Mr.  Gage, 
gave  the  whole  league  a  supper  and  a  good  one  too.  After 
that,  we  had  a  fine  meeting  on  ways  and  means  of  influencing 
young  people  in  regard  to  foreign  missions,  in  stirring  up 
bands  to  prayer,  to  give  a  tenth,  and  in  stimulating  an  interest 
for  work  in  foreign  lands.     1  learned  so  many  bright,  new, 

F  75 


XTbe  l^ouna  nntssionar^ 


interesting  methods,  and  when  I  learn  more  I  will  impart  some 
of  them  to  you,  Minnie,  for  help  in  Christian  Endeavor  work 
in  Nellore.  I  wouldn't  have  missed  the  meeting  for  a  good 
deal,  1  enjoyed  it  so.  Saturday  I  spoke  at  Providence.  1  en- 
joyed the  children  so  much  and  my  talk  with  them.  One 
very  sweet  young  girl  came  up  to  me  afterwards  and  thanked 
me  for  what  1  h?d  said,  telling  me  she  had  a  class  of  boys  and 
my  words  about  my  boys  in  India  helped  her  very  much. 


STUDENT  VOLUNTEER   BAND   AT   NEWTON 


November  13.  I  heard  something  this  week  that  made  me, 
oh,  so  happy,  because  it  will  make  you  happy  too.  Doctor 
Wood  told  me  that  I  had  the  highest  mark  in  the  class  in  the 
last  theology  examination,  ahead  of  the  boys  too.  I  was  so 
surprised  when  he  told  me  that  any  one  could  have  bowled  me 
over  with  a  goose  quill.  He  said  :  "  You  have  the  honor,  Miss 
Downie,  of  leading  the  middle  class  in  theology  this  term." 
Doctor  Brown  also  returned  mv  paper  on  Jeremiah,  with  "ex- 

76 


H  trerm  ot  JBtbie  Stub^ 


cellent  "  at  the  head  of  it.  I  am  going  to  try  still  harder,  this 
term,  to  do  well,  for  1  want  you  all  to  be  proud  of  me.  That 
will  be  my  sweetest  reward,  next  to  the  Saviour's  "  well  done." 

Father,  1  have  actually  commenced  Greek  this  term  :  Col- 
ossians,  with  the  middle  and  senior  classes.  It  is  decidedly 
hard  and  requires  a  great  deal  of  delving  into  commentaries. 
I  wish  I  had  access  to  your  library,  once  in  a  while,  for  it  is 
hard  for  some  twenty  pupils  to  all  get  their  lessons  out  of  four 
or  five  of  the  commentaries  required. 

Wednesday.  We  had  a  very  pleasant  social  last  evening  at 
the  church,  given  by  the  ladies  as  a  reception  to  the  faculty 
and  students  of  the  seminary.  The  students  turned  out  in 
brave  array,  and  seemed  to  enjoy  themselves  very  much.  1 
met  a  lot  of  students  and  had  a  chance  of  giving  three  foreign 
missionary  lectures  to  three  different  groups  of  lukewarm  em- 
bryo preachers.  It  rouses  me  so  much  to  see  such  utter  indif- 
ference to  foreign  missions  in  those  who  call  themselves  Chris- 
tians, that  it  seems  as  if  I  couldn't  go  without  speaking  about 
it.  But  the  evening  was  not  all  spent  in  missionary  talk,  we 
had  a  jolly  time  all  round.  .  . 

We  had  a  delicious  lesson  on  India  to-day.  One  man  got 
up  and  explained  that  the  dress  of  a  native  man  consisted  of 
an  upper  and  a  lower  cloth  tied  round  the  waist  and  hanging 
in  folds  to  the  knee,  and  the  upper  cloth  thrown  over  the 
shoulder  and  tied  at  the  waist  also.  A  woman's  costume  con- 
sisted of  a  cloth  wound  round  the  waist,  but  he  couldn't  just 
see  how  it  was  done.  Another  said  that  rice  was  eaten  with 
a  kind  of  sauce  called  curry.  A  third  said  the  houses  were  flat- 
roofed  with  a  thing  projecting  out  in  front  called  a  veranda. 


77 


CHAPTER  IX 

AN    UNEXPECTED    MEETING 

God's  plans  for  thee  are  graciously  unfolding, 
And  leaf  by  leaf  they  blossom  perfectly, 

As  yon  fair  rose,  from  its  soft  unfolding, 
In  marvelous  beauty  opens  fragrantly. 

HE  last  letter  for  the  year  1899,  from 
Annie,  was  dated  December  thirty-first. 
She  tells  of  her  Christmas : 

I  had  a  most  lovely  Christmas,  though  I  was 
quite  a  bit  lonely  and  wanted  "  my  folks."  Every  one  though 
was  very  kind  and  made  me  quite  one  of  the  family.  I  had 
such  a  lot  of  presents,  every  one  seemed  so  kind  in  remember- 
ing me.  The  night  before  Christmas  we  arranged  all  the  gifts 
for  the  family  in  the  parlor  on  the  table.  After  breakfast  we 
all  went  in  there  and  after  prayers  standing  around  the  table 
we  each  in  turn  shut  our  eyes  and  took  a  parcel  from  the  pile. 
Then  it  was  handed  to  the  owner,  opened  and  enjoyed  by  all. 

Annie  had  ten  presents  in  that  pile  and  writes : 

All  the  week  presents  have  been  coming  in,  so  I  feel  as  if  I 
had  had  a  whole  week  of  Christmas.  .  .  10.30  P.  M.  You 
are  all  probably  keeping  watch  night  in  India  and  I  am  going 
to  watch  with  you  to-night.  I  will  write  until  about  11  o'clock 
and  then  begin  my  watch — all  alone  and  yet  not  alone  either. 
It  seems  rather  solemn  to  be  watching  with  no  one  else  here. 

We  had  not  planned  returning  to  America  until 
78 


Bn  Tllnexpecteb  /IDeetino 


1901,  but  circumstances  seemed  to  demand  that 
our  furlough  should  be  taken  earlier.  The  Rev. 
W.  L.  Ferguson  was  the  best  available  man  to 
take  up  the  double  v^^ork  of  missionary  and  mis- 
sion treasurer,  and  as  he  intended  taking  his  fur- 
lough the  next  year,  it  was  decided  that  we  return 
in  1900.     When  Annie  heard  the  news  she  wrote: 

Won't  it  be  jolly  to  have  you  come  and  we  all  be  together 
once  more?  When  I  heard  the  news  I  jumped  all  around  I 
was  so  happy.  .  .  it  seems  hardly  possible  that  I  v/ill  see  you 
so  soon.  1  have  to  say  it  over  and  over  to  myself  to  make 
it  seem  true.  .  . 

School  is  well  under  way  now.  Doctor  Wood  told  us  the 
general  results  of  our  theology  examination  on  Thursday.  Miss 

B ,  Miss  F ,  and  I  did  better  tlian  any  of  the  young  men 

he  said.  And  he  said  also  that  if  we  could  have  written  better 
papers  than  we  did,  he  would  lil^e  to  see  them,  but  he  thought 
that  was  hardly  possible;  that  the  ones  handed  in  were  as  nearly 
perfect  as  examination  papers  could  be.  The  boys  took  it 
very  nicely  and  clapped  us.  I  am  so  glad  I  can  hand  in  a 
good  record  for  your  sakes ;  you  have  been  so  good  to  me, 
that  the  very  best  1  can  do  to  pay  you  will  be  none  too  good. 
1  have  to  work  hard  to  keep  up,  for  the  girls  here  are  all  bright 
and  scholarly,  have  fme  minds,  and  work  hard. 

We  reached  New  York  at  the  opening  of  the 
Ecumenical  Conference,  and  as  the  Hasseltine 
House  young  ladies  were  permitted  to  attend  the 
great  meeting,  we  met  Annie  there,  at  the  home 
of  our  friends,  Professor  and  Mrs.  Bickmore.  It 
was  a  great  joy  to  find  her  looking  well  and  full  of 
enthusiasm  over  the  double  pleasure  of  our  return 
and  the  meetings. 

79 


Zbc  ISouuQ  Mtsstonary 


Before  Annie  left  Newton  Centre  for  Belmar, 
where  we  spent  the  summer,  the  Woman's  Board 
showed  their  appreciation  of  what  she  had  done 
during  the  year,  by  inviting  her  to  spend  another 
year  at  Hasseltine  House,  to  fit  herself  more  thor- 
oughly for  future  work.  Annie  was  anxious  to  get  to 
the  foreign  field  where  her  heart  was,  but  she  real- 
ized that  it  would  be  better  for  her  to  stay  another 
year  in  America  and  go  back  with  us,  so  she  grate- 
fully accepted  the  invitation  particularly  as  the 
Board  kindly  voted  two  hundred  dollars  toward  her 
expenses,  thus  paving  the  way  for  an  acceptance. 

The  second  year  at  Hasseltine  House  passed 
much  as  the  first,  except  that  there  were  other 
companions  and  advanced  studies.  She  began 
Hebrew,  a  study  she  very  much  enjoyed.  It  was 
never  any  trouble  for  her  to  study  languages  and 
she  undertook  Hebrew  to  help  her  in  the  study  of 
Hindustani  after  her  return  to  India  and  also  as  an 
aid  to  translation  and  other  literary  work. 

While  busy  with  her  studies  she  still  found  time 
to  make  missionary  addresses,  here  and  there, 
which  were  always  well  received.  A  lady  of  West 
Newton  writes : 


Dear  Annie  was  with  us  at  our  meeting  last  May,  and  the 
girls  will  never  forget  her  earnest,  helpful  words.  She  was 
so  filled  with  the  love  of  Christ  and  so  sweetly  unselfish  in 
her  willingness  to  serve  him.  To  have  known  her  even  a 
little  was  a  blessing  and  an  inspiration. 

80 


Bn  xaneipecte^  /IDcctiuG 


In  April,  at  the  women's  annual  meeting,  at 
Hartford,  Conn.,  she  was  presented  as  one  of  the 
candidates  for  the  foreign  field,  and  no  one  pres- 
ent, who  knew  her,  will  ever  forget  the  words  she 
spoke  at  that  time.  She  had  been  passing  through 
one  of  the  seasons  of  doubt  and  distress  that 
often  come  to  God's  children,  a  time  when  the 
soul  gropes  after  God  as  the  foundations  of  belief 
seem  shattered  and  tottering,  and  she  spoke  of 
what  she  had  suffered  and  how  she  had  come  into 
a  stronger,  purer  light.  She  mentioned  the  five 
windows  of  the  Newton  Centre  Church,  each  with 
a  separate  inscription.  The  last  one  was  dark,  but 
when  it  was  deciphered  there  was  the  old  Commis- 
sion:  "Go  ye  into  all  the  world  and  disciple  all 
nations."  She  told  how  it  had  seemed  to  come 
to  her  with  fresh  force  as  if  direct  from  God. 

Many  have  spoken  of  that  talk  and  of  her  looks 
at  the  time.     One  friend  writes  : 

I  shall  never  forget  the  impression  she  made  upon  me  in  her 
address  at  Hartford,  it  really  seemed  as  though  her  face  and 
voice  were  illumined  witli  the  divine  light.  I  have  heard 
many  speak  of  it  in  the  same  way. 

A   mission  worker   in  Washington  also  testifies  : 

I  shall  always  rejoice  that  I  met  her  in  Hartford  last  April, 
and  that  1  heard  her  tell  of  the  live  windows  with  her  face  all 
aglow. 

Just   before   ending  her  second   year    of  Bible 
8i 


trbe  Igouna  nntsetonari? 


study  she  appeared  before  the  executive  committee 
of  the  Missionary  Union  and  was  accepted  as  a 
missionary  of  the  Woman's  Board.  Doctor  King, 
chairman  of  the  committee,  says:  **  How  well  do 
I  remember  Annie  when  she  appeared  before  the 
executive  committee,  so  bright,  so  winning,  so  full 
of  hope  and  promise,"  while  Doctor  Mabie,  our 
Home  Secretary,  writes  still  more  strongly : 

My  admiration  for  this  dear  girl  became  very  great  in  con- 
nection with  the  time  she  spent  at  Hasseltine  House.  Her  ap- 
pearance before  our  executive  committee  and  the  manner  in 
which  she  narrated  the  exercises  of  her  mind  which  had  led 
her  up,  stage  by  stage,  to  the  point  of  giving  herself  to  mis- 
sion service,  was  one  of  the  most  touching  we  have  ever 
heard  given.  She  was  intellectually  so  bright,  her  counte- 
nance was  uncommonly  radiant,  and  we  hoped  for  her  an 
efficient  and  blessed  service  in  India 

In  June,  1901,  her  connection  with  Hasseltine 
House  ceased.  She  regretted  leaving  the  place 
that  had  been  a  real  home  to  her  for  two  years,  and 
she  loved  Mrs.  George  who  had  been  like  a  mother 
to  her  when  her  own  mother  was  far  away. 

As  to  her  influence  in  the  House,  Mrs.  George 
says: 

She  was  a  ray  of  sunlight  always.  Was  there  an  errand 
to  be  done  her  ready  feet  had  accomplished  it  while  the  echoes 
of  the  wish  were  dying  away.  Was  any  one  ill,  her  hands 
ministered  comfort.  Was  there  a  birthday,  some  delightful 
surprise  was  sure  to  celebrate  the  event.  Was  any  one  lonely 
or  homesick,  some  way  was  found  to  lighten  the  depression, 

82 


Bn  innetpectcb  /IDeetino 


During  these  two  years,  I  cannot  recall  a  hasty  or  unkind 
word.  Truly  she  walked  with  God.  She  excelled  in  her 
studies  and  loving  study  for  its  own  sake,  she  loved  it  doubly 
because  it  would  fit  her  for  richer  service. 

When  the  seminary  commencement  exercises 
were  over  it  seemed  wise  that  Annie  should  go 
somewhere  for  a  quiet  rest.  She  decided  to  go 
to  Nova  Scotia  and  visit  Mrs.  Burditt,  a  dear  friend 
and  former  co-laborer  of  ours  in  India.  She  had 
known  Annie  as  a  child,  and  looked  forward  to  her 
coming  as  bringing  her  again  in  touch  with  the  old 
home  and  work  in  the  Telugu  mission.  She  had 
laid  her  husband's  body  away  in  an  Indian  grave, 
and  had  been  for  many  years  in  Nova  Scotia  edu- 
cating her  five  children.  Of  Annie's  stay  with 
them  she  says : 

Annie  endeared  herself  to  many  here.  Her  earnest  words 
in  behalf  of  the  women  and  children  of  India  will  not  soon  be 
forgotten.  And  socially,  with  our  young  people,  she  left  the 
impression  of  unusual  brightness  and  sweetness  of  character. 
In  our  own  home  she  left  a  fragrance  that  will  never  leave  us. 
We  are  so  glad  she  was  able  to  be  with  us  those  few  weeks. 

Several  of  the  Hasseltine  House  young  ladies  had 
arranged  for  tenting  together  at  Northfield,  so  as  to 
enjoy  the  July  meetings  together.  Here  Annie  re- 
ceived a  great  blessing  which  resulted  in  greater 
consecration.      She  thus  wrote  home  about  it  : 

In  tent,  Northfield,  July  19,  1901.  These  have  been  such 
busy  days  and  yet  such  happv  davs  for  me.    I  have  had 

83 


Ube  lUouuG  nnissiouari^ 


hardly  a  minute  in  wliicli  to  sit  down  and  write  letters,  but  1 
haven't  forgotten  you  all.  I  am  so  glad  1  came  here.  The 
meetings  have  meant  so  much  to  me,  and  my  life  has  been 
deepened  and  broadened  and  transformed  far  more  than  1  can 
say.  I  feel  as  if  my  life  heretofore  has  been  so  shallow,  so 
lacking  in  many  ways,  that  I  do  not  wonder  1  have  had  so 
little  influence  for  good  among  those  around  me.  1  have  had 
so  many  besetting  sins,  mother  dear,  pride  and  selfishness, 
deception  and  disobedience  which  always  follow  in  the  wake 
of  the  first  two,  that  1  sometimes  wonder  why  God  should 
have  called  me,  who  am  so  unworthy,  to  be  his  ambassador. 
These  meetings  have  shown  me  so  clearly  the  awfulness  of 
sin  in  a  life,  and  the  far-reaches  of  influence,  so  that  now  I  see 
clearly  my  spiritual  life  henceforth  must  be  deeper  and  fuller, 
and  I  want  your  prayers,  mother,  dear.  My  heart  is  just  sing- 
ing now  that  I  know  these  things,  and  1  am  so  glad  that  I  am 
going  out  to  his  work,  and  I  pray  that  1  may  be  made  worthy 
and  meet  for  his  service. 

From  Northfield  she  visited  relatives  and  friends 
in  New  York  and  Pennsylvania,  and  made  some 
necessary  preparations  for  her  departure  in  August. 
Of  the  other  two  girls,  Alice  had  graduated  from 
the  Normal  School  in  West  Chester  and  was  to 
accompany  us  to  India,  while  Minnie  had  entered 
the  Connecticut  training  school  in  the  New  Haven 
Hospital.  She  was  looking  forward  to  completing 
her  course,  spend  a  year  at  Hasseltine  House  in 
Bible  study,  and  then  return  to  India  for  work 
in  one  of  the  mission  hospitals.  It  was  hard,  very 
hard  for  her  to  be  left  behind. 

Not  a  tie  is  broken,  not  a  hope  laid  low, 
Not  a  farewell  spoken,  but  our  God  doth  know  ; 

84 


U\\  xanexpecteb  /IDeetin^ 


Every  hair  is  luiinbered,  every  tear  is  weighed, 
In  the  changeless  balance  wisest  love  has  made. 

Power  eternal  resteth  in  his  changeless  hand  ; 

Love  iniinortal  hasteth  swift  at  his  command, 
Faith  can  firmly  trust  him  in  the  darkest  hour, 

For  the  key  it  holdeth,  to  his  love  and  power. 


itpn 


85 


CHAPTER  X 
A  SECOND   TERM  OF  SERVICE 

Among  the  lives  that  I  have  known, 
None  I  remember  more  serene  and  sweet, 
More  rounded  in  itself  and  more  complete. 

HE  summer  days  passed  all  too  quickly, 
and  once  more  we  found  ourselves  in 
New  York,  our  trunks  packed  and 
ready  for  another  sailing.  Early  on 
the  morning  of  August  10,  1901,  we  went  to  the 
ship  accompanied  by  our  kind  friends,  the  Bick- 
mores.  They  had  seen  us  sail  in  1893  and  also 
in  1884. 

Our  passage  was  taken  on  the  **  Marquette,"  of 
the  Transport  Line.  It  was  a  cattle  steamer,  but 
was  selected  for  its  sloivness  and  steadiness,  and  be- 
cause we  did  not  care  to  cross  the  ocean  too  quickly. 
The  steamer  sailed  very  early  in  the  morning,  but 
Annie  was  much  pleased  at  the  presence  of  some 
*'  Farther  Lights"  girls  from  Riverside,  New  York, 
who  came  with  beautiful  flowers  for  her,  and  a  big 
wonder  bag  containing  some  surprise  for  each  day 
of  the  voyage. 

The  last  farewells  were  said,  some  pretty  pictures 
taken,  and  the  good  ship  slowly  left  the  dock  and 

86 


B  Seconb  Uerm  of  Service 


steamed  down  the  bay.  When  we  were  fairly 
afloat,  we  went  to  our  staterooms  to  get  them  in 
order,  and  found  them  full  to  overflowing  with 
boxes  and  parcels  left  by  our  friends.  We  could 
fully  echo  dear  Annie's  exclamation:  **  Isn't  God 
good  to  give  us  friends!"  The  loving  thoughts 
expressed  by  the  gifts  and  in  the  many  letters 
awaiting  us  quite  took  away  the  edge  of  our  grief. 

There  were  some  very  nice  people  among  the 
passengers  and  we  made  some  pleasant  acquaint- 
ances. In  the  case  of  a  Western  professor  and 
his  wife  a  friendship  was  formjd  that  bids  fair  to 
be  a  lasting  one.  They  were  on  their  way  to 
Oxford  for  a  year's  study.  Both  took  quite  a 
fancy  to  Annie  and  all  had  some  nice  times  to- 
gether on  the  steamer  and  afterward  in  London. 

On  the  second  Sunday  some  of  the  passengers 
asked  for  a  talk  on  the  Telugu  work  and  seemed 
much  interested.  At  the  end  Annie  sung  a  couple 
of  sweet  Telugu  hymns,  and  before  singing,  de- 
scribed the  hymns  and  by  whom  sang,  in  a  sweet, 
winning  way,  and  so  impressed  one  lady  that  she 
gave  her  a  small  contribution  for  her  special  work. 
During  the  voyage  she  had  quiet  talks  with  one 
and  another  impressing  herself  upon  them  in  a 
way  they  could  never  forget. 

We  reached  London  on  the  twelfth  day  and  were 
soon  in  pleasant  quarters  in  Torrington  Square. 
As  kind  friends  had  again  made  it  possible  for  us 

87 


trbe  l^ouno  nntsstonar^ 


to  do  some  traveling  we  did  not  tarry  long  in 
England,  but  arrai^^ing  to  join  our  next  steamer 
at  Marseillj.:,  we  went  for  a  little  visit  to  Paris  and 
other  noted  places  on  the  continent. 

It  was  a  pleasure  to  us  to  note  Annie's  enjoy- 
ment, as  we  visited  places  that  had  been  familiar 
to  her  from  reading  and  pictures,  but  which  she 
had  never  expected  to  see.  We  had  a  short  stay 
in  Switzerland  and  the  Alps  appealed  most  of  all 
to  her.  She  had  always  hved  mountain  scenery, 
and  now  said  she  would  enjoy  a  walking  tour 
through  the  Alps  and  might  take  one  in  one  of 
her  vacations. 

We  reached  Marseilles  in  time  for  the  "Chesh- 
ire "  of  the  Bibby  Line  and  were  much  pleased 
to  find  several  of  our  Burma  missionaries  on  board. 
Doctor  and  Mrs.  Eveleth,  of  the  Theological  Sem- 
inary at  Insein,  Miss  Haswell,  of  Amherst,  with 
her  adopted  daughter,  and  a  Miss  Ragon,  a  new 
appointee  of  the  Western  Board.  There  were 
other  missionaries  on  their  way  to  India  also,  and 
we  all  formed  a  company  to  ourselves.  We  gen- 
erally occupied  the  hurricane  deck,  and  as  there 
were  moonlight  nights  we  had  some  delightful  even- 
ings. One  of  the  party  said  of  Annie  that  she 
was  a  sweet  girl  and  one  could  not  help  seeing 
often  what  an  unselfish  spirit  she  had,  and  that 
her  hopes  and  plans  for  service  were  so  joyful. 

Disembarking  at  Colombo,  we  took  the  steamer 
88 


H  Secont)  Xlerm  of  Service 


across  to  Tuticorin  and  suffered  more  inconvenience 
that  one  night  than  on  both  the  preceding  voyages. 
There  had  been  a  cyclonic  storm  on  the  Bay  of 
Bengal,  and  its  effects  were  felt  on  the  narrow 
strip  of  water  we  had  to  cross.  The  steamer 
pitched  and  tossed,  shipping  great  waves.  Annie, 
though,  was  one  of  the  two  ladies  who  ventured 
down  to  dinner,  thereby  winning  great  praise  from 
the  captain. 

From  Tuticorin  there  was  a  day  and  night 
journey  to  Madras .  We  saw  *  *  Trichinopoly  Rock  ' ' 
as  we  passed  along  and  caught  glimpses  of  the 
bay,  which  relieved  the  tedium  of  the  journey. 

In  Madras  we  were  warmly  welcomed  by  the  mis- 
sionaries and  other  friends,  but  only  stayed  there  a 
couple  of  days,  as  we  were  anxious  to  reach  home. 
A  ride  of  seven  hours  on  the  new  East  Coast  Road 
brought  us,  at  last,  to  dear  old  Nellore  on  the 
afternoon  of  October  11.  Annie's  letter  to  the 
**  Helping  Hand  "  tells  of  our  reception : 

In  the  evening  we  had  a  reception  tendered  to  us  on  the 
veranda  of  the  bungalow.  All  the  school  children  were  pres- 
ent and  a  crowd  of  the  Christian  men  and  women.  There  is 
a  society  newly  formed  in  Nellore  by  some  Brahmin  lads, 
called  the  Victoria  Literary  Society.  Well,  on  the  veranda 
among  our  Christians  and  school  children,  was  a  goodly  rep- 
resentation from  this  august  body  who  had  come  to  give  us 
a  welcome.  The  speech  presented  by  Veerasevamy  was 
characteristic.  Then  the  Victorians  read  an  address  of  wel- 
come, in  which  they  requested  "  Rev.  D.  Downie  and  Mrs. 
and  Miss  Downie"  to  become  honorarv  members  of  the 
G  89 


trbe  l^ouna  nntsstonar^ 


society.  Before  we  had  reached  Nellore  it  seems  that  they 
elected  father  president  of  the  society,  and  in  the  address  they 
took  it  for  granted  that  he  would  accept  the  honor,  and  ad- 
dressed him  by  the  title.  We  were  so  glad  of  this  interest,  and 
we  do  hope  that  we  can  get  some  sort  of  hold  on  these  boys 
and  be  able  to  help  them  some.  Hitherto  the  upper  classes 
have  been  inclined  to  hold  aloof  from  the  missionaries.  A 
heavy  garland  of  red  and  white  flowers  was  put  around  the 
neck  of  each  of  us,  and  we  were  presented  with  little  balls  of 
flowers  to  hold  in  our  hands,  and  were  freely  sprinkled  with 
Oriental  rose  water  and  after  the  reception  there  was  a  short 
display  of  fireworks. 

Annie  spoke  very  sweetly  in  response  to  her 
address,  telling  how  glad  she  was  to  be  back, 
and  how  she  hoped  to  be  used  of  God  in  help- 
ing them  all. 

One  week  was  spent  in  unpacking  and  getting 
settled,  when  we  took  over  charge  of  the  work 
from  the  Fergusons,  who  had  faithfully  held  the 
fort  during  our  absence.  Annie  took  the  Bible 
women  from  Miss  Wagner,  and  at  once  began 
her  work  among  them.  She  was  not  hampered 
by  the  want  of  the  language,  as  new  mission- 
aries usually  are,  yet  she  began  reading  with  the 
Munshi  all  the  same,  as  she  felt  she  had  lost 
much  of  her  Telugu  during  her  two  years  at  home. 
She  also  began  the  study  of  Hindustani,  for  the 
houses  of  the  Mohammedans  were  opening  to  the 
workers  and  she  felt  anxious  to  speak  to  the 
women  in  their  own  language.  Being  Purdah 
women  few  of  them  know  Telugu. 

90 


H  5econ^  Xlerm  of  Service 


Before  the  second  week  was  ended  she  had 
started  Bible  lessons  with  the  workers  and  had 
visited  all  the  zenanas  where  regular  lessons  were 
being  taught.  We  began  to  fear  that  she  was  at- 
tempting too  much,  and  by  our  advice  she  re- 
linquished the  Telugu  reading  for  a  time. 

The  northeast  monsoon  broke  toward  the  end  of 
October,  and  the  heavy  rain  caused  much  washing 
out  of  congested  drains  and  brought  much  sick- 
ness into  the  closely  built  parts  of  the  town.  But 
Annie  continued  her  visits  to  the  houses  not  think- 
ing of  the  danger  she  was  in. 

Before  coming  to  India  she  had  promised  to 
meet  in  Madras  the  two  young  ladies  designated  to 
Nellore,  and  looked  forward  with  joyous  anticipa- 
tion to  their  coming.  She  went  to  Madras  early 
in  November,  but  as  the  vessel  was  somewhat  de- 
layed, she  spent  the  time  while  waiting  in  doing 
some  shopping,  buying  her  furniture  and  some 
things  necessary  for  touring.  She  was  out  in  the 
rain  a  good  deal  and  contracted  a  severe  cold. 

When  the  incoming  missionaries  reached  Madras, 
there  was  more  shopping  to  do  before  the  party 
could  leave  for  Nellore.  Finally,  the  start  was 
made  and  the  Nellore  party  came,  bringing  with 
them  Doctor  Levering,  her  sister.  Miss  Faye,  and 
Miss  Lizzie  Kurtz,  all  bound  for  Secunderabad  in 
the  Deccan. 

There  was  so  much  excitement  receiving  the 
91 


Ubc  Kouno  fintsstouar^ 


missionaries  and  enjoying  their  companionship, 
that  we  did  not  perhaps  realize  that  Annie's  cold 
was  as  bad  as  it  really  was.  She  took  simple 
remedies  and  made  light  of  it  herself.  After  the 
Deccan  party  left  us  we  had  a  visit  from  Dr.  W. 
W.  Keen,  of  Philadel- 
phia, who  with  his  two 
daughters,  war.  making 
a  trip  around  the  world. 
Annie  was  particularly 
bright  while  they  were 
in  Nellore.  She  took 
the  young  ladies  to  visit 
several  of  the  zenanas 
and  showed  them  all 
that  could  be  shown  of 
her  work  in  the  short 
time  at  their  disposal. 

One  of  the  new  lady 
missionaries  was  Miss 
Katherine  Gerow,  who 
had  been  Annie's  spe- 
cial friend  during  her  second  year  at  Hasseltine 
House.  The  two  roomed  together  here  in  a  small 
bungalow  connected  with  the  large  house  by  a  cov- 
ered portico.  They  fixed  up  their  rooms  very  pret- 
tily and  looked  forward  to  spending  a  year  together 
before  Miss  Gerow  removed  to  the  hospital  com- 
pound where  her  work  was  to  be.  Late  in  Novem- 
92 


HINDU   GIRLS 


B  Second  Uerm  of  Service 


ber,  Miss  Gerow  noticed  that  Annie  had  a  high 
temperature  and  insisted  on  her  going  at  once  to  bed. 
The  doctor  was  called  in  and  in  a  few  days  symp- 
toms of  typhoid  appeared.  Then  only  did  we  learn 
that  enteric  had  been  raging  in  Madras,  and  was 
bad  around  the  place  where  she  had  been  staying. 
She  had  somehow  taken  germs  into  her  system 
which  could  not  be  thrown  off  in  her  weakened 
condition. 

As  Miss  Gerow  was  a  trained  nurse  she  took 
charge  of  Annie  through  her  illness,  and  was  very 
faithful  to  her  trust.  The  fever  was  of  a  mild  type 
and  no  special  danger  was  anticipated.  She 
suffered  no  pain,  was  clear-headed  and  considered 
staying  in  bed  rather  a  joke  than  otherwise. 

Suddenly,  on  the  evening  of  the  tenth  day,  she 
was  seized  with  a  sudden  sharp  pain,  peritonitis 
set  in,  for  two  days  she  suffered  greatly,  and  then 
— "was  not,  for  God  took  her."  Her  second 
term  of  service  was  ended  in  less  than  two  months. 

God's  unseen  angel  o'er  our  pathway  crossed, 
Looked  on  us  all,  and  loving  her  the  most 
Straightway  relieved  her  from  life's  weary  load. 


93 


CHAPTER  XI 

A   TRANSLATION 

For  he  knows  best 
Who  takes  the  young  ones  in  his  arms 
Before  the  sun  sinks  to  the  west. 

'HEN  we  realized  on  the  never-to-be- 
forgotten   evening  of   December   7, 
that  nothing  could  save  our  darling, 
that  she  was  sinking  fast,  her  mother 
went  to  her  bedside  and  said:    "Annie  dear,  we 

have  done  the  best  we  could,  but "     Here 

courage  gave  way  and  leaning  her  head  on  the 
dying  girl  she  burst  into  tears.  Annie  threw  both 
arms  round  her  mother  saying,  **  Why,  dearie,  what 
is  the  matter?  "  Then  turning  to  Alice  she  said  in 
distress,  ''What  is  it?"  Controlling  herself  by 
a  violent  effort,  her  mother  told  her  she  was  very 
ill,  that  they  had  done  all  for  her  they  could,  but 
the  Lord  was  calling  her.  She  seemed  surprised 
and  said:  "Why,  is  there  any  danger?  "  She 
was  told  there  was  and  she  would  soon  be  with 
her  Lord.  She  lay  quiet  for  a  moment,  and  then 
said  very  sweetly,  "It's  all  right,  mother,  I  am 
ready  to  go."  After  that  her  thought  seemed  to 
be  to  comfort  us.     She  said:    "  Katharine  will  be 

94 


H  ITranslation 


a  daughter  to  you,  mother,  and  you  have  two  beau- 
tiful girls  left.  Alice  pressed  her  hand  and  she 
said:  "  Dear  little  Picky,"  her  favorite  name  for 
her  youngest  sister.  When  her  father  came  into 
the  room  she  said:  "  I'm  ready  to  go,  father,  but 
I  hope  to  stay  with  you  a  little  while  longer." 
All  through  her  illness  she  had  been  specially 
anxious  that  he  should  not  feel  troubled,  and 
every  time  he  came  into  the  room  she  would  smile 
and  say,  "I'm  all  right,  father."  Her  father 
said :  **  My  dear  girl,  you  have  been  a  very  good 
daughter  to  us  and  a  good  Christian  too."  She 
smiled  sweetly  and  said  :  **  Those  are  sweet  words, 
father."  Then  suddenly  her  face  became  radiant, 
she  opened  her  eyes  wide  and  gazed  straight  ahead 
saying  in  a  clear  voice:  **  Oh,  the  beautiful  city! 
The  beautiful  city!  I  am  going  to  the  city!  " 
Her  father  asked  her  if  she  could  see  her  Saviour. 
In  a  far-away  voice  with  her  eyes  closed  she  an- 
swered:  "Yes.  He  is  calling  me."  Just  here 
the  young  ladies  came  in  and  the  eight  of  us  sur- 
rounded her  bed.  As  they  came  in,  the  stir  of 
their  entrance  roused  her  and  she  said  to  her  friend  : 
**  Katharine,  be  good  to  mother."  Then  again 
her  face  became  radiant  and  her  eyes  were  fixed 
on  the  distance,  and  a  second  time  she  called  out: 
"  Oh,  the  beautiful  city!  How  beautiful!  I  see 
the  light  of  it!  "  Then  throwing  one  arm  around 
her    friend,    she   said:     "Won't   you    come    too, 

95 


Ube  Boung  /llM55tonat^ 


Katharine,  come  with  me  to  the  city?  "  Then  she 
recited  in  a  clear  voice  those  beautiful  words  of 
our  Lord  :  ''In  my  Father's  house  are  many  man- 
sions ;   if  it  were  not  so  I  would  have  told  you,  I 

go  to  prepare  a  place  for  you.    And  if  I  go " 

here  she  stopped.  Some  one  prompted  her  but  it 
was  too  late,  the  sands  of  time  had  almost  run 
through  for  her  and  those  were  the  last  words  she 
uttered,  though  twice  afterward  we  could  see  by 
the  moving  of  her  lips  that  she  tried  to  say  some- 
thing more.  She  breathed  more  and  more  heavily, 
then  at  greater  intervals  until  the  fluttering  heart 
ceased  and  she  entered  the  portals  of  the  beauti- 
ful city  and  saw  the  King. 

Her  friend  and  old-time  Greek  scholar,  Subbiah, 
pastor  of  the  Nellore  church,  was  in  the  room  and 
made  an  earnest  prayer,  pouring  out  his  soul  to 
God  to  help  all  in  this  time  of  trial.  There  was  a 
hush  over  everything  after  he  had  finished.  All 
had  been  taken  up  to  the  very  gates  of  heaven, 
while  that  sanctified  spirit  was  entering  and  there 
was  no  room  for  obtrusive  grief. 

It  was  nine-thirty  Saturday  night  when  the  spirit 
went  home  to  God.  Misses  Gerow,  Robertson, 
Tencate,  and  MacLaurin,  all  Hasseltine  House 
girls,  did  what  was  needful  and  robed  the  body 
for  burial,  touching  it  with  loving  hands.  The 
burial  was  appointed  for  the  next  afternoon.  Dr. 
Boggs  and  Rev.  J.  Heinrichs  came  from  Ramapa- 

96 


B  XTranslation 


tarn,  Rev.  W.   S.  and  Mrs.  Davis  from  Allur  to 
help  in  the  services. 

Sunday  was  a  very  wet  day,  but  early  in  the 
morning  the  native  Christians  began  to  come,  to 
see  the  one  they  loved   so   much,  the  one   from 


0| 

B^^ 

^Sb^ 

fcg^^  '^  '   ^d^H^^ni^^|^^B|^^^^^^**'j^ 

^&f 

w 

^ — ^ — -^  ^  J— 

EinCATHU   CHRISTIANS 


whom  they  had  expected  a  much  longer  service. 
There  was  a  hush  even  over  them,  a  very  unusual 
thing  with  Orientals,  whose  grief  is  generally 
very  noisy. 

At  five  o'clock  we  had  an  English  service  just 
for  the  twelve  of  us,  Doctor  Boggs  speaking  most 

97 


XTbe  ISoung  nntssionat^ 


beautifully  and  feelingly.  He  had  known  Annie 
as  a  child  and  always  loved  her=  Mr.  Heinrichs 
made  an  earnest  prayer,  and  then  we  took  a  last 
earthly  farewell  of  our  dear  one.  She  was  so 
beautiful  in  death.  The  loving  hands  of  her  sis- 
ters had  robed  her  in  a  pretty  Swiss  muslin  dress 
that  she  had  made  herself  for  the  stay  in  Madras, 
little  thinking  it  would  be  her  shroud.  A  bunch 
of  white  flowers  and  maiden-hair  fern  was  on  her 
left  shoulder,  while  trailing  sprays  of  the  sweet 
smelling  cork  tree  blossoms  were  down  her  dress 
and  around  the  sides  of  the  coffin.  As  one 
present  remarked,  there  was  a  look  of  perfect 
peace  and  happiness  upon  her  face.     To  her 

Glad  news  was  sent 

From  the  far  country  of  her  banishment. 
Who  came  from  that  far  land, 
The  happy  news  to  tell 
There  sealed  those  loving  lips 
f  To  keep  the  secret  well. 

After  the  English  service  was  ended,  the  young 
men  who  had  known  her  in  childhood  carried  her 
over  to  the  church,  where  a  large  congregation  of 
Christians  and  heathen  was  assembled.  It  seemed 
as  if  the  heathen  of  the  two  hamlets  near  the 
mission  compound  had  turned  out  en  viasse  to 
honor  one  they  had  known  so  long.  Many  of 
them  had  heard  the  gospel  story  from  her  lips 
more  than  once, 

98 


H  ITranslation 


There  was  a  touching  service  in  Telugu  lasting 
quite  awhile  and  then  all  filed  past  the  coffin  to 
take  a  last  look  at  the  lovely  form  lying  there. 

Two  weeks  before  Annie  was  taken  ill,  her 
parents  were  walking  around  the  compound  one 
Sunday  afternoon,  as  was  often  their  custom. 
Reaching  the  cluster  of  graves  the  father  said : 
**  While  I  would  never  have  chosen  this  as  a  burial 
ground,  it  is  here  and  must  stay.  I  think  we  had 
better  wall  it  round,  put  a  gate  to  it,  and  fix  it  up 
nicely  with  walks  and  plants."  Then  he  added: 
**  If  any  of  our  family  should  be  taken,  we  will 
be  buried  here."  How  little  he  thought  that  even 
then  the  death  angel  was  hovering  over  the  bunga- 
low, and  the  one  to  be  taken  first  was  the  dearly 
loved  eldest  daughter ! 

Alas  !  for  the  life  of  promise 

Quenclied  in  its  brightest  glow; 
Alas  !  for  the  young  standard-hearer 

Who  yonder  lieth  low. 
The  church  on  earth  bewails  her, 

But  up  above  the  sky, 
The  church  triumphant  welcomes  her 

With  songs  of  victory. 


99 


CHAPTER  XII 

A    RETROSPECT 

Drop  thy  still  dews  of  quietness 

'Till  all  our  strivings  cease, 
Take  from  our  souls  the  strain  and  stress, 
And  let  our  ordered  lives  confess 

The  beauty  of  thy  peace. 

—IVhittier. 

S  we  have  read  and  re-read  the  hun- 
dreds of  beautiful  letters  that  came 
to  us  after  our  dear  daughter's  call 
away,  this  verse  has  been  much  in 
our  mind:  **Who  comforteth  us  in  all  our  trib- 
ulation, that  we  may  be  able  to  comfort  them 
which  are  in  any  trouble,  by  the  comfort  where- 
with we  ourselves  are  comforted  of  God  "  (2 
Cor.  1:4). 

It  has  been  a  real  grief  that  we  could  not  repro- 
duce these  comforting  words  sent  us,  but,  dwelling 
upon  the  comfort  that  comes  from  even  attempting 
to  comfort  others,  we  have  learned  some  valuable 
lessons  that  we  desire  to  pass  on  to  others  who  may 
be  sorrowing  even  as  we  sorrowed.  We  quote  in 
full  a  beautiful  poem  sent  us,  that  all  our  readers 
may  get  from  it  the  same  lesson  that  we  did : 

lOO 


H  IRetrospect 


RECOMPENSE 

Straight  to  my  heart  this  fact  to-day 
By  truth's  own  iiand  is  driven, 

God  never  takes  one  tiling  away 
But  sometliing  else  is  given. 

I  did  not  l\now,  in  earlier  years, 
This  law  of  love  and  kindness, 

But  without  hope,  through  bitter  tears, 
I  mourned  in  sorrow's  blindness. 

And  ever  following  each  regret 

For  some  departed  treasure, 
My  sad  repining  heart  was  met 

With  unexpected  pleasure. 

I  thought  it  only  happened  so — 
But  time  this  truth  has  taught  me, 

No  least  thing  from  my  life  can  go. 
But  something  else  is  brought  me. 

It  is  the  law,  complete,  sublime, 
And  now  with  faith  unshaken, 

In  patience  I  but  bide  my  time 
When  any  joy  is  taken. 

No  matter  if  the  crushing  blow 
May  for  the  moment  down  me, 

Still  back  of  it  waits  Love,  I  know, 
With  some  new  gift  to  crown  me. 

As  soon  as  the  meaning  of  the  poem  had  fully 
entered  our  mind,  there  came  the  question  :  **  What 
recompense  has  God  given  us  ?  "  It  did  not  take 
long  pondering  to  realize  that  we  had  been  given 
an  abiding  sense  of  tJie  nearness  of  God.  When 
in  1888  our  Father  took  to  himself  our  dear  Elsie, 

lOI 


Zbc  l^ouuG  nnisstonar^ 


we  had  this  sense  of  the  abiding  presence,  and  it 
has  never  left  us  during  the  fourteen  years  that 
have  intervened.  But  when  Annie  was  taken,  a 
blooming  flower  where  Elsie  was  only  a  bud,  God 
measured  out  his  favors  with  a  kingly  hand.  He 
kept  our  darling  from  suffering  that  might  have 
torn  our  hearts  with  anguish,  and  he  made  her 
dying  bed  so  glorious  with  that  wonderful  vision  of 
the  holy  city,  that  we  could  almost  hear  the  rustle  of 
the  angels'  wings  as  they  bore  her  spirit  away.  Can 
we  ever  doubt  there  is  a  heavenly  city,  after  the 
manifestation  of  it  to  our  clear-headed,  keen-eyed 
daughter  ?  There  was  given  to  us  afresh  sense  of 
what  the  word  *  'friend ' '  mea/is.  As  soon  as  the 
news  of  our  sorrow  reached  our  friends  here  and 
in  America,  hundreds  of  pens  were  moved  to  send 
us  the  loving  sympathy  of  those  who  sorrowed  with 
us  and  truly  mourned  the  loss  of  the  young  standard 
bearer.  Many  of  the  letters  came  from  the  depths 
of  anguished  hearts,  written  by  those  who  were 
themselves  in  the  shadows,  and  nearly  all  were 
full  of  assurance  of  prayer  for  us  and  the  work. 
Could  we,  dared  we  mourn,  in  the  presence  of  all 
those  ascending  prayers  ?  The  sting  of  our  grief 
was  taken  away — the  prayers  of  our  friends  brought 
us  peace,  the  peace  that  passeth  understanding. 
With  dear  Annie  we  cry,  "  Isn't  God  good  to  give 
us  friends  ?  " 

There  has  been  given  us  a  great  sympathy  for 

102 


H  IRetrospect 


those  whose  loved  ones  have  been  taken  a-a'ay. 
Some  sorrow  with  hope,  but  many  without  hope. 
Oh,  the  desolation  of  those  who  never  expect  to 
see  their  dear  ones  again !  In  this  town  of  Nel- 
lore,  there  is  a  heathen  mother  who  laid  away  a 
dearly  loved  daughter.  Several  years  have  passed 
away,  but  her  grief   is  as  bitter  as  at  first.      She 


HER   RESTING-PLACE 


has  no  hope.  Her  child  has  gone,  she  will  never 
see  her  again.  Our  hearts  bleed  for  that  mother, 
and  we  long  to  give  her  the  comfort  we  have,  but 
she  understands  it  not.  So  there  are  everywhere 
hearts  bowed  down,  almost  crushed  under  a  weight 
of  woe,  and  there  is  no  peace. 

There  has  been  given  to  us  a  great  desire  to 
help  those  ivJio  nioitrn  zcithout  hope.     When  we 
H  103 


Zbc  ISourtG  nntsstonar^ 


go  now  to  those  bowed  with  grief  and  say  *  *  07ir 
Saviour  binds  up  the  broken  hearts  and  comforts 
mourning  souls,  we  know,  because  we  have  experi- 
enced it,"  our  words  are  fuller  of  meaning  and 
more  assuring  because  back  of  them  lies  our  knowl- 
edge— we  assure  them  it  is  so,  because  we  know. 

But  all  these  recompenses  were  in  our  own 
hearts  and  hidden  from  outside  gaze.  There 
was  one,  however,  which  was  swift  and  appar- 
ent to  all.  A  faithful  worker  in  God's  vineyard 
had  been  cut  off  and  her  work  was  left.  For 
one  month  earnest  prayers  went  up  that  the  dear 
Lord  would  fill  the  vacancy  that  the  work  might 
not  suffer. 

During  that  month  a  letter  was  speeding  its  way, 
and  when  Annie's  dearly  loved  sister  in  the  New 
Haven  Hospital  read  of  the  loss  that  had  come  to 
her,  as  well  as  to  us,  one  great  desire  took  pos- 
session of  her  to  return  to  India  at  once,  to  com- 
fort her  parents  and  take  up  the  work  her  sister 
had  been  obliged  to  lay  down.  Her  own  ambi- 
tions and  plans  were  given  up,  and  it  was  won- 
derful how  God  smoothed  away  all  difficulties  and 
enabled  her  to  sail  within  three  days.  It  was  one 
of  the  "all  things"  too,  that  a  lady  was  going 
from  New  York  straight  to  Madras  and  that  she 
could  have  company  all  the  long  journey.  In  less 
than  three  months  after  Annie  went,  Minnie  was 
here,  at  work,  and  we  were  once  more  together  as 
104 


B  IRetrospect 


a  family,  with  the  two  glorified  ones  nearer  perhaps 
than  we  realized.     The  couplet, 

God  never  takes  one  thing  away 
But  something  else  is  given, 

thus  came  to  mean  a  great  deal  to  us,  and  our 
hearts  are  at  rest,  waiting  to  see  the  further  work- 
ings of  the  will  of  God. 

It  was  not  a  sombre,  gloomy  life  that  Annie 
Downie  led ;  she  enjoyed  to  the  full  every  good 
time  that  came  to  her,  and  while  she  had  neither 
time  nor  inclination  for  doubtful  pleasures,  those 
which  as  a  Christian  she  felt  she  could  not  in- 
dulge in,  yet  she  was  always  ready  for  an  outdoor 
game  and  was  the  life  of  many  an  indoor  party. 
If  the  question  had  been  asked  her,  as  she  hovered 
between  earth  and  heaven,  as  to  her  life  as  a  child 
and  as  a  young  girl,  we  are  sure  she  would  have 
said,  "  Oh,  I  have  had  such  a  happy  life!  " 

THE  CITY  BEAUTIFUL 

Sometimes  when  the  day  is  ended 

And  its  round  of  duties  done, 
I  watch  at  the  western  windows 

The  gleam  of  the  setting  sun. 
When  my  heart  has  been  unquiet 

And  its  longings  unbeguiled 
By  the  day's  vexatious  trials 

And  cannot  be  reconciled, 
1  look  on  the  slope  of  the  mountains 

And  o'er  the  restless  sea, 
105 


Ube  l^oung  mitsstonari? 


And  I  think  of  the  beautiful  city 

That  lieth  not  far  from  me, 
And  my  spirit  is  hushed  in  a  moment 

As  the  twilight  falls  tender  and  sweet, 
And  I  cross,  in  my  fancy,  the  river 

And  kneel  at  the  Master's  feet. 
And  I  rest  in  the  shade  that  falleth 

From  the  trees  that  with  healing  are  rife, 
That  shadow  the  banks  of  the  river, 

The  river  of  water  of  life. 
And  sometime  when  the  day  is  ended 

And  the  duties  he  gave  me  are  done, 
I  shall  watch  at  life's  western  windows 

The  gleam  of  the  setting  sun. 
I  shall  fall  asleep  in  the  twilight 

As  1  never  have  slept  before, 
To  dream  of  the  beautiful  city 

Till  1  waken  to  sleep  no  more. 
There  will  fall  on  my  restless  spirit 

A  hush,  oh,  so  wondrously  sweet ! 
And  1  shall  cross  over  the  river 

To  rest  at  the  Master's  feet. 


lo6 


